Scampi

Name

Scampi is the Italian plural of scampo, Nephrops norvegicus. The Italian word may be derived from the Greek καμπή kampē ("bending" or "winding").

Nephrops norvegicus

Norwegian lobsters are also known as Dublin Bay prawns, though the term "prawn" can be confusing since it is sometimes used to describe several varieties of shellfish: the first group includes members of the lobster family such as scampi (langoustine in French and cigala in Spanish), while the second takes in large shrimp, particularly those that live in fresh water. However, in terms of biological classification, lobsters like scampi are of a different family from prawns/shrimp.

The food labelling laws (in Britain, for example) define "scampi" as Nephrops norvegicus.

Preparation methods

According to Larousse Gastronomique, langoustine are delicate and need to be poached only for a few seconds in court-bouillon. When very fresh they have a slightly sweet flavour that is lost when they are frozen. They can be eaten plain, accompanied by melted butter.

In Britain, the shelled tail meat is generally referred to as "scampi tails" or "wholetail scampi", although cheaper "re-formed scampi" can contain other parts together with other fish. It is served fried in batter or breadcrumbs and usually with chips and tartare sauce. It is widely available in supermarkets and restaurants and considered pub or snack food, although factors reducing Scottish fishing catches generally (such as bad weather) can affect its availability.

In the United States, "shrimp scampi" is the menu name for shrimp in Italian-American cuisine (the actual word for "shrimp" in Italian is gambero or gamberetto, plural gamberi or gamberetti). "Scampi" by itself is a dish of Nephrops norvegicus served in garlic butter, dry white wine and Parmesan cheese, either with bread or over pasta or rice, or sometimes just the shrimp alone. The term "shrimp scampi" is construed as a style of preparation, and with variants such as "chicken scampi", "lobster scampi" and "scallop scampi". Lidia Bastianich: "In the United States, shrimps are available, not scampi, so the early immigrants prepared the shrimp they found in the scampi style they remembered."

As an alternative seafood

Owing to the decline of fish stocks, British chefs including Heston Blumenthal and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall launched a "Fish Fight" campaign in 2010, attempting to raise awareness of alternative seafoods. They championed scampi and other lesser-known seafood dishes as a more sustainable source of protein.