Martha Stewart Lemony Shrimp Scampi
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The garlic hit the pan and I was in another kitchen.
A smaller one. Late May. Mae was still in braces. I’d just learned how to devein shrimp with a toothpick.
This dish doesn’t give you time to overthink.
Which is maybe why I made it.
Some nights, you need something that finishes before the spiral starts.
What the Original Looked Like
Martha’s version is elegant.
¾ pound of shrimp. A full stick of butter, balanced by lemon and garlic.
Angel-hair pasta because it catches the sauce without drowning it.
She tells you to cook the shrimp fast—three minutes, maybe less.
Then build the sauce in the same pan.
Parsley at the end. Lemon wedges for serving.
Everything hot. Everything quick. Everything coated.
What I Did Differently
Used spaghetti instead of angel hair. All I had.
Didn’t measure the butter. Just sliced until it felt right.
My lemons were small, so I used three. It wasn’t too much.
Didn’t chop the parsley. Tore it. Tossed it in like I was seasoning memory.
The Way It Happened in My Kitchen
Boiled the water too early.
Shrimp went in cold. Still cooked fast. Turned pink like they were blushing.
The garlic sizzled. The butter browned at the edges. I didn’t stop it.
Poured the lemon juice in and it hissed. Like a warning. Or maybe a welcome.
Mae walked in just as I tossed the shrimp back into the pan.
She said it smelled like the summer we drove to Rhode Island and ate shrimp in the car.
She remembered. So did I.
A Few Things I Learned While It Cooked
Shrimp don’t need long. Neither do memories.
Lemon cuts through more than garlic.
Butter makes everything feel softer—even the sharp parts.
What I Did With the Extras
There weren’t many.
I ate what was left standing.
Mae asked if I’d make it again.
I said maybe.
I meant yes.
Would I Make It Again?
Probably on the next night that feels too quiet.
When I need something fast that still says something.
That’s As Much As I Remember
It was warm.
And then it was gone.
Back in March, I made something with the same smell. couldn’t tell you what it was now.
FAQs
no. anything thin works. spaghetti’s fine. fettuccine’s dramatic.
yes. thaw completely. pat dry. they’ll still shine.
technically. but no. fresh hits different.
yes. red pepper flakes or a splash of white wine will do it.
low heat. splash of water. be gentle. like you’re warming up a memory, not blasting it.
Martha Stewart Lemony Shrimp Scampi
Description
Bright, buttery, and gone too fast—this shrimp scampi tastes like a memory you didn’t know was still with you.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Boil the water. salt it like the sea.
- Cook the shrimp. heat oil in a skillet, add shrimp, flip once. 3 minutes, maybe less. set aside.
- Make the sauce. lower heat, melt butter, add garlic. let it soften. add lemon juice. let it speak.
- Cook the pasta. follow the box. keep it al dente.
- Combine everything. shrimp back in, parsley, pasta—toss it all until coated and warm.
- Serve with lemon wedges. and maybe silence.