Egg and Scampi with Shrimp

I love eggs and this quick-cooking superfood is full of protein, healthy and so delicious.  No long, wordy posts full of soliloquy-like ramblings this time.  I want to tell you about a dish that I love and if you try it be sure to tell me what you think!

What you’ll need:

• Texas toast or your favorite thick toasted bread
• Garlic
• Fresh herbs (basil)
• Butter
• Egg
• Shrimp
• Lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
• Salt and pepper to taste

How I did it:

First, depending upon which bread you choose, make sure you butter it and get it in the oven to start getting toasty.  In a non-stick skillet I still put a little non-stick spray down and a teaspoon of butter to melt over medium heat.  Once the pan is very hot put in your shrimp and start those to cooking.  Cook for a couple minutes on each side then add more butter, salt and pepper, finely chopped garlic, a little finely chopped basil and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Cook just a little longer, maybe 2 to 3 minutes.  Once they are done take them out and set them in the oven with the bread, which should also be done at this point, so that the bread and shrimp stay warm.

Use the same shrimp pan or a new pan, spray with non-stick spray, add a little butter and once the pan is really hot add your egg.  Try your best to keep the yoke intact.  You want the pan hot because when you put the egg in, you want it to start frying immediately, but only for a few seconds on one side and then flip it to the other side.  Depending on how runny you want your yoke, the egg shouldn’t be cooked any more than 1 to 2 minutes in total.

Now you’re ready to assemble.  The toast should be very crusty to be able to withstand the warmth and wetness of the egg and shrimp.  Place the toast on the plate, the egg on top of it and the shrimp go on last.  Make sure you add a final squeeze of lemon juice to the dish.  I eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner and any time of the year.

The healthier version:

Well, you could just use a non-stick spray and avoid the butter.  You could use a big, juicy tomato to sit the egg on top of, or even a couple slices of avocado or lettuce for the base instead of the toast.  I haven’t tried a different version, but I know it will still be delicious.

The vegetarian version:

Hey, don’t use shrimp.  Instead, build the exact same meal using no egg, but an avocado in its place.  Instead of shrimp, use tofu (my mother loves it).  There are many ways to make this healthier, so play around with it and tell me what you come up with.