Shrimp Scampi

2 lbs medium-sized deveined shrimp, thawed or fresh
6 T minced garlic
1/4 c olive oil
3 T melted butter
1/2 c dry white wine
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t kosher salt
a couple of grinds of black pepper
1/2 c diced red bell pepper
1/2 c roughly chopped Italian parsley


Preheat oven to 450. Combine garlic, oil, butter, white wine and red pepper flakes and whisk. (This part can be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge until you need it, which is what I usually do). Spread out the shrimp in an even layer in a roasting pan or casserole dish. It's ok to crowd them a little, because they'll shrink but don't go more than two deep. Add red bell pepper and parsley, then spoon garlic/oil mixture on top of it, plus salt and a few grinds of pepper. Give it a toss. If you're using fresh shrimp, throw into the oven until shrimp become opaque, about fifteen minutes-ish, then turn it up to broil for about 5 minutes until the liquid is sizzling and the tails are starting to get dark. If you're using the precooked kind (not optimal, but sometimes we in the Midwest must use what we have), then just pop it up to broil for five minutes or so. You'll know that it's done when your house starts to smell delicious.

You can do this on the top of the stove too, but I like everything to be sizzling and I don't want to stand there cooking if I don't have to. The big word of caution with the broiler, though: if you overcook shrimp, they turn into rubber bands. Garlicky delicious rubber bands.