Cajun Shrimp Pasta

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Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Shrimp. Pasta. Spicy cream sauce. What’s not to love here? This Cajun chicken pasta has long been one of our weeknight favorites. Comes together so quickly and easily, it’s a dish I know I can always turn to on those nights where I want something good and comforting – but I don’t feel like putting that much effort into dinner.

So, it was only a matter of time before I swapped out chicken for other proteins. Like, shrimp. All truths being told, I think I love this dish with shrimp, even more than the chicken. Think shrimp alfredo, but kicked up with the addition of cayenne pepper, sliced bell peppers, and onions that have been sauteed for a bit of a crunch amidst the tender pasta. Rich and decadent, with a bit of heat – it would be a perfect dinner for Fat Tuesday. Or, for Valentine’s Day for that matter. Dinner is ready in under 30 minutes, leaving you plenty of time to do “other” things with your Valentine 🙂

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

1 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 tablespoon Cajun spice mix
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
½ onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cream
1/2 cup white wine (I use dry Vermouth)
1/2 cup chicken broth
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 pound cooked fettuccine
2 scallions, chopped (for garnish)

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons Cajun spice over the shrimp, toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to skillet, and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip shrimp over and cook for 1 minute more. Remove to plate and set aside. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over medium high heat until peppers and onions are tender. Remove all vegetables from the pan to a plate, and set aside.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium low and pour in cream, whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Add cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Add the vegetables to the sauce. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine. Serve spicy shrimp on top of pasta. Sprinkle with scallions for garnish.

Source: adapted from this Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe

Steamed Lobster

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Every day, I thank the sweet Heavens for this place I call home. Within a 20 minute drive I can procure some of the freshest seafood imaginable. Shrimp, crabs, fish, oysters, clams – even lobsters. And, I don’t go to some fancy supermarket to get them. Most of places I go to buy my seafood are little run-down shacks, ran by the waterman themselves.

Seaside Lobsters in Atlantic, VA is one of those places. They’re only open a few afternoons a week, but there’s nothing like having Jon stop on his way home from work to pick up a couple of big lobsters to have for dinner, for around $25. They run about $8 a pound, which is unbelievably reasonable. They also often have “culls” or one-clawed lobsters for even less, around $6 a pound. Which are great for recipes that just include meat – lobster rolls, anyone?

Needless to say, I love to support my local waterman. Those guys are out there working in the blistering cold and heat – all year long, to put food on our tables. The Eastern Shore wouldn’t be what it is today without them, as so much of our local economy relies on the seafood industry – and has for hundreds of years.

Steamed lobster couldn’t be easier, or more special. It’s a perfect decadent dinner for a special evening like Christmas or New Year’s. And, it takes only 20 minutes to cook. Paired with simple sides like a baked potato and salad – a meal like this gives you more time to spend with the family around the Christmas tree, and not in the kitchen slaving over a stove.

Steamed Lobster

2 (1.5-2 pound) live lobsters
4 cups water
1 cup vinegar
1 lemon, quartered
1/2 cup butter, melted

Pour the water and vinegar into a large stockpot, place a steamer basket inside, and cover. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

Place the lobsters inside the steaming basket and recover. Steam for 15 minutes. Remove cover and let steam for an additional 2 minutes.

Remove the lobsters to a platter carefully using a pair of tongs. Serve with the lemon wedges and melted butter for dipping.

 

Crab Ravioli with Saffron Cream Sauce

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We’ve been enjoying the final days of blue crab season here in Maryland, as it will be coming to a close in the next month or so. It’s actually the best time of year for them, as crabs are at their fattest and heaviest late in the year, right before they burrow into the mud for a long winter’s nap. While  my favorite thing to do with them is steam them, and eat them as is – often we’re left with a plethora of meat that we’ve picked to use up. I usually go with our standard favorites – crab cakes or crab dip (which reminds me, I was featured on our local news recently making the crab dip – check it out here!) but I wanted to do something a little fancier.

I’d been wanting to try my hand at homemade ravioli, so I thought why not stuff it with crab? I just took my basic ricotta pasta filling and gently folded the crab meat into it. The sauce takes only a few minutes to throw together. I more or less did an alfredo sauce, adding in some saffron and a bit of tomato paste at the last minute, to give it a gorgeous pink hue. It was insanely good, and definitely a cut above our standard weekly fare. I think I may have to treat us to a pound of crabmeat come December to make these for New Year’s Eve dinner. A special dinner, indeed!

Crab Ravioli with Saffron Cream Sauce

1 batch homemade pasta dough
1 pound lump crab meat
1 cup (8 oz) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
3 scallions, chopped
salt and pepper
Italian parsley, chopped, for garnish

For the sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
pinch of saffron (5 or 6 threads)
1 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 tsp tomato paste

On floured surface or using a pasta roller, roll dough out to make a thin sheet (about 1/16″ thick). Gently press ravioli stamp or edge of a glass into the pasta dough to make outlines. Fill each ravoli with about 1 tablespoon of filling. Roll out another sheet of pasta, and place on top of the other sheet, pressing down around the filling. Cut the ravoli using a stamp or glass – pressing on edges to make sure they are sealed well. Place on jelly roll pan lined with wax or parchment paper.

For the sauce, melt butter in large saucepan. Add the flour, and whisk for a couple minutes to form a light roux. Slowly add in the chicken stock, and heavy cream – whisking constantly until thickened. Add the saffron, and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add the Parmesan cheese, and tomato paste – stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. When boiling, drop ravioli in and cook for about 4 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water in the event the simmering sauce is too thick.

Drain pasta and gently toss with the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes and Feta

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Shrimp and feta is one of those combinations that I’ve been wanting to try for what seems like forever now, but just never got around to it. So, when my friend Tara raved about this dish after they’d had it for dinner last week, I had to get the recipe and finally give it a try.

This meal couldn’t get any easier. The step that takes the longest amount of time, or the most effort, was peeling the shrimp. This is a great way to use up the last of the tomato plants that are on the vines – and roasting them just intensifies their flavor. Then, to bring feta to the party too? Flavor bomb, people. This dish kind of reminded me of a good shrimp scampi – only more amped up flavor profile.Next time I’ll probably give the shrimp a quick saute in a skillet before adding them to the oven. The texture was just a wee bit mealy on the outside – I think due to the fact that you don’t have that quick burst of intense heat to sear the outside. And that’s all you’d need – less than a minute. Just enough to get them started, then finish off the cooking in the oven.

I served it over pasta, but next time I’ll probably just go with some crusty bread and a salad. This dish will definitely be making more appearances in our kitchen!

Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes and Feta

5 large tomatoes, cut into eighths
3 tablespoons  olive oil
2 tablespoons  minced garlic
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2  pounds  medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2  cup  chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano (or 1/2 tsp dried)
2  tablespoons  lemon juice
1  cup  feta cheese, crumbled
crusty bread, for serving

Heat oven to 450 F. Place the tomatoes in a 9×13 baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with minced garlic, 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast on top rack of oven for 20 minutes.

Remove baking dish from oven and stir in the shrimp, parsley, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with the feta.

Return the dish to oven until the shrimp are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm with the bread.

Source:  slightly adapted from Real Simple