Spicy Shrimp Scampi Pasta

This dish came together by complete freak accident.  Seth’s mother was visiting, and we had bought and marinated a bunch of shrimp for grilling.  Unfortunately, when it came time to grill, the weather looked mean and scary, so we turned to the stove and quickly improvised a shrimp scampi pasta from what we had on hand.  Well, short story, it was amazing, the best shrimp scampi we’d ever had, and we’ve been struggling to recreate it ever since.  After weeks of testing, failed attempts, and altering, we finally got it back!  Something about this dish makes me picture a rustic, beachside, seafood bistro in New England.  You get a bowl brimming with pasta and shrimp, filled with the spicy, garlicky, lemony flavors.  You pour two glasses of wine, maybe light some candles, you go to your table, and you talk with your significant other.  Or you first stuff your face with dinner and then talk.  But it is definitely a dinner that involves some romance.  The shrimp marinade itself was adapted from Cook’s Illustrated (August 2011 Summer Grilling Issue).

Ingredients 
For the shrimp:
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup chopped parsley
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound large shrimp

For the sauce:
1 stick unsalted butter (yes, 8 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons parsley
1 shallot, minced
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup fresh arugula
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 ounces linguine
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup chopped parsley

Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, parsley, garlic, salt, and red pepper. Add the shrimp and toss with the marinade.  Place in the fridge to marinate for 15 minutes.  Cook the marinated shrimp on a buttered griddle over medium-high heat, be sure to brown each side (about 3-4 minutes per side). Set aside.

Bring a large pot of boiling salted water to boil and cook linguine according to package directions.  In a large sauté pan, melt butter, lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and the parsley together over medium low heat.  Add minced shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Sauté until shallot is soft.  Add the white wine and lemon juice.  Increase heat and reduce just a bit. Add the arugula.  Use tongs to coat and wilt the arugula.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  Toss with the cooked shrimp.  To serve, place pasta on individual plates.  Drizzle olive oil and about 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley over each plate of noodles.  Then spoon some shrimp and sauce over the herbed noodles.