La Famiglia Scampi Principessa

This is restaurant-style drama on a plate. Sixteen large shrimp get butterflied, poached in dry white wine tails-up for just 5 minutes, then flambéed with aquavit (or vodka) before being placed into cold yogurt sauce. The contrast of warm, wine-poached shrimp hitting cold, tangy yogurt is the whole point.

Poaching in wine rather than boiling in water is what gives the shrimp their delicate, subtly sweet flavor. Five minutes is the maximum. The recipe warns not to overcook, and it means it. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery and tough within an extra minute or two.

The flambé step burns off the alcohol from the aquavit and leaves behind its caraway-anise flavor on the shrimp. If using vodka instead, you’ll get the flame and the spectacle but less residual flavor. Either way, drain the wine first, then flambé away from the stove flame for safety.

Pro Tips

• Butterfly the shrimp deeply for even cooking and an impressive presentation, but leave the tails on for an easy handle
• Poach tails-up as directed; the butterflied shrimp cook more evenly in this position
• Let the aquavit warm slightly before igniting; cold spirits are harder to flambé
• Place the flambéed shrimp into the yogurt sauce immediately for the hot-cold temperature contrast

Variations

• Brandy flambé: Use brandy instead of aquavit for a warmer, fruitier flame flavor
• Lemon yogurt sauce: Mix lemon zest and fresh dill into the yogurt sauce for a brighter, more herbaceous dip
• Cocktail style: Serve the poached shrimp chilled on ice with the yogurt sauce on the side as an appetizer