Roasted Garlic Parmesan Shrimp with a White Wine Butter Sauce

This is a rough recipe, as I’ve been tinkering with it but no one batch has been the same. This is the latest iteration to which I’ve added mushroom, spinach and loads of white wine. The other iterations are tacked on to the bottom. This came to life on Instagram and you can definitely check out our page @NibblesandNom.

Ingredients:

1 lb of angel hair pasta

7-9 mushrooms

Pint of cherry tomatoes

3-4 cups of fresh spinach (or 1 pack of frozen)

1 stick of butter

1 bulb of garlic, plus 4-5 cloves

1 shallot

Olive oil

Pinot Grigio (or any dry white)

2+ lbs of jumbo shrimp

Parmesan

Shredded mozzarella

Salt

Pepper

Crushed red pepper

Granulated garlic

Oregano

Parsley

Basil

1. Preheat your oven to 350.
2. Bring water to a boil
3. Boil one lb angel hair pasta, reserve a cup of starchy pasta water
4. Chop the end off of a bulb of garlic (yes, the whole bulb) and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
5. Wrap in foil, place on cookie sheet.
6. Halve a pint of cherry tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
7. Spread tomatoes on the cherry sheet
8. Roast for 30-45 minutes
   • The garlic will likely be done before the tomatoes
   • Remove the tomatoes when they begin to shrivel up and are very fragrant
9. Peel and devein your shrimp
10. Slice or finely chop your mushrooms
11. Chop 4-5 cloves of garlic and one shallot
12. In a pan, over medium heat melt one whole stick of butter (yum!)
13. Sautee the shallot and garlic, then add the mushrooms and season
14. Nestle in your shrimp in a single layer, do this in batches if you need to, season.
15. Add in your spinach and toss until it begins to wilt
16. Add in your white wine (I honestly used about 75% of the bottle. Sue me.)
17. Toss to incorporate, season with salt and pepper, I added granulated garlic and crushed red peppers
18. Add the roasted tomatoes
19. Toss your drained pasta in with everything, add in a generous amount of parmesan, I added a handful of mozzarella too
20. Drizzle in a couple of tbsp of olive oil
21. If this mixture is getting to dry, add some of that reserved pasta water
22. Taste and adjust your seasonings as necessary, add in your Italian herbs (think basil, oregano, parsley).

This is an easily adaptable recipe. I’ve made it several times with different variations. Like I always say, use what you’ve got!

(Spinach, shallot, bell pepper, roasted garlic, chopped garlic, squash, sun-dried tomato)

(Fresh basil, sliced mushroom, artichoke, slow roasted tomato, roasted garlic, chopped garlic)

 

© 2018 by Alexa Mason. All Rights Reserved

Cajun Sausage and Shrimp

Ingredients:

 

2 lbs shrimp

½-1lb smoked sausage or andouille

1-2 green peppers

4-5 ribs of celery

1 large onion

4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 28oz can of diced tomatoes

 

1 bundle of fresh thyme

2-3 bay leaves

Generous pinch of crushed red pepper

1-2 tsp of cayenne

Kosher salt

Pepper

(all of these to your preference)

Scallions to garnish

 

 

 

To begin, devein and shell your shrimp. Put your shrimp shells in a pot and cover with water. Bring to boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes.

 

1. Chop your veg
2. Brown your sausage in some oil.
3. Add your holy trinity and cook until softened.
4. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
5. Add your tomatoes.
6. Strain 4-6 cups of the shrimp stock and add to the pot.
7. Add your bay leaves and thyme bundle.
8. Add salt and pepper and taste.
9. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
10. Add your shrimp. Cover and simmer for about 6-7 minutes.
11. Taste and adjust your seasoning.
12. Serve over rice and garnish with scallions.

 

Adapted from Anne Burrell’s Jambalaya.

Curried Pumpkin Coconut and Shrimp Soup

There are so many layers of flavor here from the mirepoix, to the curry, to the coconut, to the potent shrimp stock and of course, the pumpkin. This is a hearty, homey soup perfect for Autumn!

There are quite a few steps but don’t let this intimidate you. Organize your ingredients, your tools and get to work! I always say, work smarter not harder. Tackle one thing at a time in the order that you will be working. If you are roasting your fresh pumpkin, get that out of the way first. While that’s happening, you can get your shrimp stock simmering. Once you have everything lines up, just bang it on out!

 

Ingredients:

8 cup fresh chopped, roasted pumpkin (3-4 C canned pumpkin)

1 large onion

3 celery stalks

2 large carrots, or 3-5 smaller carrots

4-6 garlic cloves

1-2 lbs shrimp, deveined (save shells)

1- 13.5 oz can of coconut milk

6 tbsp preferred curry powder

5 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp black pepper

Worcestershire sauce

kosher salt, to taste

 

1. If you are using fresh pumpkin, roast this first. You can follow the steps here. 
2. Peel your shrimp and place the shells in a pot, cover with water
3. Prepare your mirepoix
   1. Roughly chop celery, carrot, onion
4. Throw any peels, tops, etc. in the pot with the shrimp, stir.
   1. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, this will be your shrimp stock
      

      Shrimp shells, onion peel, celery stumps, carrot peel and heads

5. Over medium heat, soften the mirepoix. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the pumpkin, add your spices plus salt and pepper
7. Drain the shells and peels from the stock
8. Add 3-4 cups of shrimp stock, stir
9. Reduce to simmer for 10-15 minutes
10. Using an immersion blender, food processor or regular blender
11. Return to your pot, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer
12. Add the coconut milk and 1-2 splashes of Worcestershire sauce
13. Taste, taste, taste! Adjust your spices as needed. My family likes bold spice and flavor, you may want a little less or a little more. This is where you taste and adjust.
14. Add your shrimp, stir and close the lid. Your shrimp will gently poach in the soup liquid.
15. Allow to simmer for another 20-30 minutes

Optional:

Top with pepitas, drizzle of coconut milk or chopped mint or cilantro!

 

 

 

© 2017 by Alexa Mason. All Rights Reserved

 

#TT: Shrimp and Avocado Plantain Cups

As much as I love a quick and simple recipe, I generally loathe the videos that circulate on a certain social networking site. I saw a recipe similar to this and I was inspired. I changed a lot, for instance, baked cups as opposed to twice fried….something-or-others. I added a lot more flavor (and seasoning, ofc.) and upped the health-factor with more veg and some beans.

These can be eaten as a snack, an appetizer (great accompaniment for my simple black bean dip) or as a meal, just load up your plate and dive in.

 

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(12 qty)

You will need: a mandolin slicer, cupcake pan and a microplane

 

3-4 large green plantains

Kosher salt

Pepper

Red onion

One large, ripe avocado

Can of black beans, rinsed

2 limes, 1 zested, 1 for garnish

½ lb to 1 lbs of deveined and peeled shrimp

Medium tomato, chopped

Olive oil

Smoked paprika

Chili powder

Cumin

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Bunch of cilantro

Seeded and chopped serrano pepper (optional)

Cooking spray

 

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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

 

Peel your plantains and cut in half, across.

(PLEASE BE CAREFUL, USE YOUR GUIDE, DO NOT CUT YOUR FINGER TIP OFF. IT’S NOT FUN. TRUST ME)Using your mandolin slicer on the lowest setting (thinnest), slice your plantain as many times as possible.

 

In your cupcake pan, spray with cooking spray.

Layer your plantains inside the pan, cut into pieces as needed (pictured below). Spray with cooking spray, salt and pepper.

Bake 15-30 minutes, begin checking for crisp, golden brownness around 15 minutes and every couple of minutes after until ready to be pulled.

In a small bowl, add your shrimp and a couple of tbsp of olive oil. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Season liberally with smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, onion powder and garlic powder. Sauté on med-high heat until cooked through.

Reserve 12 whole shrimp and chop up the remainder.

In a large bowl, combine your chopped red onion, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, lime zest, chopped tomato and chopped cooked shrimp. Squeeze the juice of your lime and toss gently to combine.

After allowing your cups to cool, remove them from the pan.

Fill your cups with your mixture and top with whole shrimp.

The filling can be served warm or cold. If there is any leftover, toss it with some baby greens and have a quick, NOM-worthy salad.

 

© 2016 by Alexa Mason. All Rights Reserved