Tony’s Take on Lemon-Garlic Shrimp at The Cheesecake Factory

Ingredients

• 1 lb Large Shrimp (U15 or 16/20 count), peeled, deveined, tails on
• 8 oz Angel Hair pasta
• 1 cup Fresh Asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 Roma Tomatoes, diced
• 6 cloves Garlic, minced (divided)
• 1/2 cup Dry White Wine (Pinot Grigio works well)
• 1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
• 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/3 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped
• 1 tsp Salted Perfection Garlic Sauté Finishing Salt

Instructions

1. First, we handle the texture. In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and a pinch of the minced garlic. Toast them while stirring constantly until they are golden brown and crunchy. Remove from heat immediately so they don't burn. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the angel hair pasta. It cooks fast, usually 3-4 minutes. When there are 2 minutes left on the timer, toss the asparagus pieces right into the boiling water with the pasta. Drain both together, reserving a splash of pasta water.
3. While the water boils, season your shrimp with a pinch of the Salted Perfection Garlic Sauté Finishing Salt. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
4. Sear the shrimp for about 1-2 minutes per side until they are pink and just firm. Do not overcook them, or they become rubber tires. Remove shrimp from the pan and set aside.
5. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the same pan. Sauté the remaining garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
6. Let the wine reduce by half, then add the lemon juice and diced tomatoes. Simmer for 1 minute.
7. Turn the heat to low. Whisk in the remaining cold cubed butter, one piece at a time. This technique creates a glossy, emulsified sauce without needing heavy cream. Stir in the fresh basil.
8. Toss the cooked pasta and asparagus with about half of the sauce in the pot or a bowl.
9. To plate, twirl a mound of the pasta and asparagus on one side. Arrange the shrimp nicely next to it. Pour the remaining lemon-garlic sauce generously over the shrimp and the pasta.
10. Top each shrimp with a spoonful of the toasted garlic panko crumbs. Sprinkle the remaining Salted Perfection Garlic Sauté Finishing Salt over the dish for that final savory punch. DUNZO!