Scampi Rockefeller

What’s that line from that old movie? “I coulda been a contenda” or something like that… that’s how I felt about this dish.  It had all the making for deliciousness but I had to go and screw it up.

I love shrimp. I love cheesy spinach. I love meals that come together quickly.  It was natural that I would love this… had I followed directions.  Sure, I substituted Parmesan for Romano, but that’s not where things went wrong.  It all went awry with the last ingredient… Pernod.

Pernod is an anise-flavoured liquer.  At the LCBO it costs $26.  Every recipe I have that requires Pernod (which has been about 2) only requires a few tablespoons.  I’ve been reluctant to “invest” in a bottle of the stuff.  The last time Pernod was an issue I bought anise extract and all was good.  This time around not so much.  I used about 2 tablespoons and the dish was OVERPOWERED by the stuff.  I’m sure if I used Pernod life would have been much better.

I’ll definitely be trying this one again since I love the idea of my vegetable being ready right alongside my protein but I will NOT use anise/fennel extract and will likely  not use Pernod either.

Scampi Rockefeller
1/2 pound large uncooked shrimp, shelled, deveined

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 10-ounce package ready-to use fresh spinach leaves, stemmed if desired
1 bunch basil leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon (or more) white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons Pernod or other anise-flavored liqueur

Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly oil 9-inch glass pie plate. Arrange shrimp in prepared plate. Season shrimp lightly with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and green onions and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add spinach to skillet. Cover and cook until spinach is tender and wilted, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Mix in basil, cheese, hot pepper sauce and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; mix in Pernod. Spoon spinach mixture evenly over shrimp.

Bake until shrimp are just cooked through, approximately 8 minutes.

Bon Appétit
September 1998