Scampi

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Scampi is the plural of scampo, the Italian name for the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), also known as the Dublin Bay prawn (especially in Ireland and the U.K.) and langoustine (the French name).^[1] The name is used loosely both in Italy and elsewhere, though in Britain, food labelling laws define "scampi" as Nephrops norvegicus.

The fleshy tail of the Norway lobster is closer in both taste and texture to lobster and crayfish than prawn or shrimp.

In the United Kingdom, "scampi" refers to a dish of shelled tail meat, coated in breadcrumbs or batter, deep fried and often served with chips, peas and Tartar sauce^[1]. It is also used as the basis for the bar-snack 'Scampi Fries,' though there is some debate as to how much scampi there actually is in said foodstuff. In the Southern Hemisphere, other species of lobster are used instead, such as Metanephrops challengeri.

In the USA, "scampi" is often the menu name for shrimp in Italian-American cuisine. The term "Scampi", by itself, is also the name of a dish of shrimp served in garlic butter and dry white wine, served either with bread, or over pasta. The word "scampi" is often construed as that style of preparation, not an ingredient, hence the seemingly redundant "shrimp scampi" or the seemingly impossible "chicken scampi".

[edit] References

• Alan Davidson, Mediterranean Seafood, 1972. ISBN 0-140-46174-4

[edit] Notes