Shrimp Oreganata That Would Make Bubba’s List in Forrest Gump

Name: Shrimp Oreganata
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. medium shrimp, cleaned, peeled (tails intact), butterflied and rinsed (left to dry on paper towels); 2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs; 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated; 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced; 2 tsp. lemon zest, grated; 2 tsp. fennel pollen or dried oregano; 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning or Old Bay; 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1 lemon quartered; Extra Virgin Olive Oil (as needed); Salt (to taste)

This recipe for shrimp oreganata turns the butterflied shrimp into a sort of cutlet, then tops it off with a white wine butter sauce.

By Andrew Cotto

9:19 AM EDT on March 15, 2024

One of my favorite dishes is Shrimp Oreganata. And one of my favorite scenes in one of my favorite movies, Forrest Gump, is when his enlisted buddy and shrimp aficionado, Bubba, lists myriad ways which shrimp can be prepared.

Unfortunately for us Oreganata aficionados, Bubba does not mention our favorite. This is probably because Bubba was a Southerner, steeped in the cuisine of the Delta, as opposed to being Italian.

Another reason, though, is that Bubba never had my version of Shrimp Oreganata, that doesn't just top the butterflied shrimp with an unctuous, slightly-zesty topping, but immerses the entire shrimp (expect the shell-intact tail) with a coating that almost makes the shrimp into a cutlet.

I also like to make a white wine butter sauce with the coating left in the pan, which adds another level of flavor to this wholly satisfying dish.

I'm going to assume Bubba would approve...

Shrimp Oreganata

Recipe by Andrew Cotto

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. 1 medium shrimp, cleaned, peeled (tails intact), butterflied and rinsed (left to dry on paper towels)
2/3 cup 2/3 plain breadcrumbs
1/3 cup 1/3 Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
1 Tbsp. 1 garlic, minced
2 tsp. 2 lemon zest, grated
2 tsp. 2 fennel pollen or dried oregano
1/2 tsp. 1/2 Cajun seasoning or Old Bay
2 Tbsp. 2 unsalted butter
1/2 cup 1/2 dry white wine
1 1 lemon quartered
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (as needed)
Salt (to taste)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Add dry shrimp to a large bowl and coat with EVOO.
Season to taste with salt and the Cajun seasoning or Old Bay. Toss and set aside.
On a baking sheet or baking dish, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, garlic, lemon zest, fennel pollen or oregano. Mix thoroughly.
Dredge the pieces of shrimp in the mixture, pressing the butterflied side into the mixture and making sure the top is also coated. Leave the tails uncoated.
Align the shrimp, tails up, butterflied side down, without crowding on an ovenproof dish or tray that has been coated in EVOO.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Turn on the broiler and broil until the tops just get crispy (1-2 minutes)
Remove the pan or tray and plate the shrimp decorously on a platter.
Add white wine and butter to the baking pan. Mix with the remaining crumbs to make a sauce.
Spoon the sauce over the shrimp.
Squeeze lemon wedges over the shrimp.
Serve!