Champagne Shrimp Pasta
Delicious, Flexible, Easy, Romantic Dinner
This Champagne Shrimp Pasta has become a regular feature on the restaurant menu on special days, such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day and New Year's Eve.
Restaurant guests have requested this elegant shrimp pasta recipe many, many times because it is delicious and then they are surprized to find out how easy it is to prepare.
With a champagne-cream sauce, this makes for a great romantic dinner anytime of the year, especially on Valentine's Day. You'll have enough champagne left over, you and a loved one can toast to each others love and health in candle light.
I discovered this recipe years ago and have tweaked it several times since.
The champagne mingles nicely with the cream to create a wonderful sauce. Using minced shallots provides a touch of onion-garlic flavor.
You can add a little minced garlic to give it some extra "zip," if you want. And sometimes I use basil in place of the parsley.
Champagne Shrimp Pasta
Preparation time: 20 minutes. Serves 2
Cooking Conversion Table
Ingredients (For Cooking Pasta):
4 ounces (1/4 pound) angel hair pasta (best with angel hair but you can use linguine as well)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
1/2 pound medium sized shrimp (prawns), peeled and deveined
3/4 cup champagne
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon minced shallots (an important ingredient - see note below)
Note: Shallots are not really onions and should not be confused with green onions or scallions. They have a mild taste combining the flavors of sweet onion and mild garlic.
|
1 small tomato, skinned, seeded and diced
|
To peel the tomato, place in boiling water until the skin begins to pop. Remove the tomato with a slotted spoon and let it cool. Cut the tomato into quarters and remove the seeds with a small spoon.
|
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions:
Have all ingredients measured and vegetables prepared before beginning. I like to cook the pasta ahead of time in which case it needs to be tossed with a small amount of olive oil to prevent it from sticking together.
Cook the pasta according to package directions or until al dente (still firm), adding the teaspoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the boiling water and then drain in a colander
Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan or frying pan
Add mushrooms (if using), cooking and stirring the mushrooms until they are tender
Remove the mushrooms from pan and set them aside
In the same pan, combine the shrimp, the champagne and salt in the frying pan and cook over high heat
As the liquid just begins to boil, remove the shrimp from the pan using a slotted spoon
Add the minced shallots and chopped tomato to the champagne and boil until liquid is reduced to about one third ( 1/4 cup )
Add the cream and pasta and cook until slightly thickened
Add the shrimp, parsley and mushrooms to the pan and cook until thoroughly heated
If pasta starts to get dry, add a little more cream
Adjust seasonings to taste
Pour into pasta bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese
This Champagne Shrimp Pasta recipe is great served with a delicious Mandarin Orange, Wild Green, Sugared Walnut Salad.
Enjoy your Champagne Shrimp Pasta and the company of those you share it with!
Donna
Bookmark Real Restaurant Recipes
|
