SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH ZUCCHINI NOODLES + MOSTLY PLANTS COOKBOOK REVIEW
Did you know that a primarily plant-based diet can help reverse heart disease? Minimizing consumption of saturated fats, which comes from eating animal products, is one of the keys to a healthy heart. Which is why I was so excited when the amazing Pollan sisters, and their mom Corky, released their newest cookbook, Mostly Plants: 101 Delicious Flexitarian Recipes from the Pollan Family. Now we’ve got 101 more delicious ways to eat more plants!
I love how Tracy, Dana, Lori, and Corky approach cooking. Most of the recipes in the book can be prepared in 35 minutes or less, making them easy enough for a busy weeknight. And they truly celebrate bringing family together to both cook and enjoy nutritious meals, something I value tremendously. Heading into the season of farmers’ markets and backyard vegetable gardens, this book is a great resource for both finding new ways to enjoy your favorite vegetables and adding a few new vegetables to your current family dinner lineup.
An easy way to get started is with Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles. I love this recipe because it’s fast and flexible. If you don’t have a spiralizer at home, most well-stocked grocery stores will have pre-cut spiralized zucchini ready to go for you. You can also order it on Amazon Fresh. I have one kiddo who loves shrimp, and another who doesn’t, so I substituted tofu for the shrimp with equally delicious results. Give it a try and be sure to let me know what you think.
SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH ZUCCHINI NOODLES FROM MOSTLY PLANTS
Zucchini noodles are an ideal gluten-free alternative to pasta. Zucchini has a mild flavor and a similar texture to linguine, so we find it is the ultimate partner to this lemony, garlicky sauce with seared shrimp. This is a lighter, healthier alternative to an old Italian standard.
4 servings
Time: 35 minutes
1 pound large shrimp (31/35 count), peeled, deveined, and butterflied
Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 medium zucchini (about 2 pounds), or 2 pounds store-bought zucchini noodles
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small fresh red chile pepper (such as cayenne or Thai bird), thinly sliced
2 teaspoons capers, drained
1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper
1. In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the baking soda. Mix well until evenly coated. Set aside at room temperature for 10 minutes or refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
2. Cut the zucchini into noodles using a vegetable spiralizer, according to the manufacturer’s directions. Place the spiralized zucchini in a bowl lined with paper towel or a tea towel to remove
any excess water.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add half the shrimp in one layer, cut-side
down with the tails sticking up, and cook undisturbed until pink, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook, turning and stirring the shrimp occasionally, for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a
medium bowl. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, adding more oil to the pan if needed. Set aside.
4. Wipe the skillet clean, return it to medium heat, and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the garlic, and chile pepper. Cook, stirring, until the garlic starts to turn golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the capers and cook for an additional minute, making sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
5. Add the vermouth, raise the heat to high, and stir until the liquid has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, tarragon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and toss until well coated; set aside.
6. Wipe the skillet clean, return it to medium-high heat, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is very hot, add the zucchini noodles and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp and all of the sauce to the skillet, mix into the zucchini, and cook for an additional minute. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.
Reprinted from Mostly Plants: 101 Delicious Flexitarian Recipes from the Pollan Family. Copyright © 2019 by Old Harvest Way, LLC. Published by Harper Wave, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers.
- 1 pound large shrimp (31/35 count), peeled, deveined, and butterflied
- Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 medium zucchini (about 2 pounds), or 2 pounds store-bought zucchini noodles
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 small fresh red chile pepper (such as cayenne or Thai bird), thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons capers, drained
- ½ cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
- Freshly ground black pepper
- In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, ½ teaspoon salt, and the baking soda. Mix well until evenly coated. Set aside at room temperature for 10 minutes or refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
- Cut the zucchini into noodles using a vegetable spiralizer, according to the manufacturer’s directions. Place the spiralized zucchini in a bowl lined with paper towel or a tea towel to removeany excess water.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add half the shrimp in one layer, cut-sidedown with the tails sticking up, and cook undisturbed until pink, 1½ to 2 minutes. Flip and cook, turning and stirring the shrimp occasionally, for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to amedium bowl. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, adding more oil to the pan if needed. Set aside.
- Wipe the skillet clean, return it to medium heat, and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the garlic, and chile pepper. Cook, stirring, until the garlic starts to turn golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the capers and cook for an additional minute, making sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add the vermouth, raise the heat to high, and stir until the liquid has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, tarragon, ½ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and toss until well coated; set aside.
- Wipe the skillet clean, return it to medium-high heat, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is very hot, add the zucchini noodles and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp and all of the sauce to the skillet, mix into the zucchini, and cook for an additional minute. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.
