Grilled Scampi Shrimp

Want to make your family slow clap around the dinner table? K, make them this scampi shrimp. 

After seeing my boyfriend Bobby throw it down on tv one morning with this recipe and after my recent trip to BJ’s where I bought enough shrimp to feed my neighborhood, I discovered my new favorite way to prepare shrimp: scampi style. What stood out to me the most was his use of fennel seed, which happens to be one of my favorite fragrant spices, and the finish in a butter sauce. Although I didn’t write down what he did exactly, I did use similar ingredients you’d find in a scampi to recreate this. Let’s get in this. 

When buying shrimp you want to look at the two number ratio, like 31/35 for example. This number lets you know how many shrimp are in a pound. Obviously the smaller number indicates the more shrimp in the pound meaning they are the true definition of a shrimp (small). If the number is larger, you’re looking at the less amount of shrimp per pound meaning extra-large to jumbo. The good stuff. BJ’s had a steal for 21/25 Jump shrimps which I was ALL OVER. 

You probably read me talking about buying shrimp with the shell on which I am SUCH A FAN OF. I have a collection of frozen shrimp shells waiting to turn into stock. The shrimps I bought had just their tail attached so although I didn’t add any shells to my collection, I did save a little prep time. Buy the shrimp however you like, shelled, tail on, or completely peeled. 

The first step is giving the shrimp a flavorful bath in some spices. I used ground fennel, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil. Fennel is the spice that smells like liquorice and you can find it ground or in seeds. If you have seeds, you can grind in a spice grinder or smash with a pan. Sometimes I leave the seeds whole to give a little texture. 

The shrimp will start off on the grill and finish over the stove in the butter sauce. Since they’re not fully cooked / served on the grill I didn’t waste the time to skewer. Instead I threw them in my grill pan, but you can easily wrap it up in some heavy duty foil! Add this over the flame for 3-4 minutes just until the shrimp start turning pink.

It’s A OKAY to pull them off the grill slightly under cooked, they’ll be finished on the stove in the butter sauce! 

Speaking of, the sauce is nothing more than butter, garlic, lemon, parsley, thyme, and a pinch of the same seasonings used in the flavor bath. 

Once the sauce gets melted, toss the shrimp straight from the grill into the sauce and serve just as it. 

 Lemony, herbal, fragant, slightly charred, juicy shrimps. Serve this over some zucchini noodles and let the slow clap begin. 

PS: click here for the best grill pan ever.