To Italians, scampi is a small lobster called a prawn.
However, in America, scampi has become a term for the sauce that goes with seafood.
Jumbo lump crab in a garlic-wine sauce is a new take on this traditional Italian dish. Serve the crab sauce over spaghetti and enjoy this quick Italian seafood dinner.
Helpful hints:
Look for jumbo lump canned or frozen crab. Backfin crab can be substituted.
This recipe will also work with imitation crab meat.
You can find minced garlic in jars in the produce or condiment sections of the supermarket.
The quickest way to chop parsley and basil is to snip the leaves with a scissors.
Shopping list
To buy: ¾ pound canned or frozen jumbo lump crab meat, 1 small bottle dry vermouth, 1 small bottle Worcestershire sauce, ¼ pound whole wheat spaghetti, 1 can low-salt diced tomatoes*, 1 bottle hot pepper sauce, 1 small bunch parsley (optional).
Staples: olive oil, minced garlic, salt, black peppercorns.
Crab scampi
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¾ cup dry vermouth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup drained low-salt canned diced tomatoes*
Several drops hot pepper sauce
¾ pound canned or frozen jumbo lump crab meat (about 2½ cups)
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add garlic, vermouth, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, and hot pepper sauce. Cook two minutes to blend flavors. Add crab and toss for two minutes to warm crab, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with parsley (optional) and salt and pepper to taste. Serve over spaghetti.
Yield two servings.
Per serving: 292 calories, 60 calories from fat, 6.7 g total fat, 1.1 g saturated fat, 3.7 g monounsaturated fat, 132 mg cholesterol, 588 mg sodium, 9.3 g carbohydrate, 1.9 g dietary fiber, 3.6 g sugars, 32.5 g protein.
Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 5 lean meat, ½ alcohol.
Spaghetti
¼ pound whole wheat thin spaghetti
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large saucepan with 3-4 quarts water to a boil over high heat. Add spaghetti and boil eight to nine minutes. Remove 2 tablespoons cooking water and reserve. Drain spaghetti and place back in saucepan with reserved water and olive oil. Toss well. Add pepper to taste. Toss and divide between two dinner plates.
Yield two servings.
Per servings: 238 calories, 48 calories from fat, 5.3 g total fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 3.4 g monounsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 42. 8 g carbohydrate, 4.7 g dietary fiber, 2.1 g sugars, 8.3 g protein.
* Look for canned low sodium diced tomatoes containing per cup: 41 calories, 9.6 g carbohydrate, 24 mg sodium.