1 recipe Easy Red Pepper and Basil Pasta Sauce, a little fresh basil and parmesan cheese reserved for garnish
2 zucchini
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb large shrimp, de-veined and tails removed
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 lb linguine pasta
Prepare pasta sauce according to directions. (This may be prepared the day before serving).
Marinate shrimp in 1 tablespoon olive oil, white wine, crushed red pepper and garlic.
Preheat oven to 400.
Heat large pot of salted water on high heat.
Wash zucchini. Slice in half lengthwise and cut each half into 4 chunks. Toss in 2 tablespoon olive oil and cook in oven 15 minutes, turning once. Turn oven to broil and cook about 5 minutes until vegetables are just beginning to char. When this happens, remove from oven.
While zucchini are roasting, boil linguine until al dente. Drain, and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
At the same time that pasta and zucchini are cooking, heat up large saute pan over medium high heat. Cook shrimp for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until they turn pink. Remove from heat.
Heat up pasta sauce until simmering. Toss noodles in pasta sauce.
Place pasta with sauce onto 4 large dinner plates. Divide charred zucchini amongst plates and top with cooked shrimp.
Garnish with reserved fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
After having a mystery white sauce at Tacos Lupita in Somerville, MA, and being told about crema mexicana by DuoDishes, I decided the two were the same and that I need to make it for a shrimp enchilada dish I am preparing for lunch tomorrow. It seems absurdly easy to make, and I really hope that it turns out.
My great fear is that is that although seems easy, it may actually turn into a fatal compound if the slightest error occurs. (Hi, my name is Caitlin, and I am a hypochondriac. "Hi Caitlin...")
But anyways, I did the deed and will update y'all tomorrow with a photo and description of the finished product. (As of the morning after...much thicker, added some cumin, paprika and chili powder). If you see no updates in the next week, don't make the recipe ; )
Anyways..here goes.
Ingredients:
2 cups cream, try to find one that is pasteurized but not ultra, super or overly pasteurized.
1/4 cup buttermilk
Dash salt
Bring cream to room temperature, or heat in small saucepan. DO NOT heat over 100 degrees Farenheit. This apparently is very bad. So don't do it!
Stir in buttermilk and a dash of salt.
Keep covered in warm (80-90) location. For example, southern California or Florida. If that is not possible, an oven's pilot light is supposed to be a good place. I have mine above my cable box (it always is warm to the touch). Leave overnight (6-8 hours). It should appear thickened after this time.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. It stays good about 7 days in the fridge.
You can spice it up by adding (after the overnight period) cilantro, cumin, paprika, chili, chipotles in adobo sauce...you name it!
I love this sauce with battered shrimp or spread on top of Spanish Tortilla. YUM!
Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup cilantro
3/4 cup virgin olive oil
5 tablespoon water
Spanish sherry vinegar, to taste
Peel garlic and chop coarsely. Wash cilantro and cut off stems. Add garlic, cilantro, salt and cumin to a blender or food processor and pulse (blend for short burst of time). Drizzle a little of the olive oil into blender with each pulse. Add small amounts of water until the sauce is thick but no longer paste-like. Add vinegar to taste (about 1 1/2 teaspoons).
Keeps refrigerated for about 2-3 days.
This recipe is a modification of my mom's traditional Sicilian red sauce. I was in a vegetarian phase, and studying in Cuba, and I could buy most of the ingredients at the local agromercado (minus glorious Parmesan cheese, Cuba has no good cheese-I nearly died of sadness).
Ingredients:
3 14oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 onions
1 head garlic
1 green pepper
2 tablespoons parsley
1/4 cup basil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (if you prefer a spicy tomato sauce)
Optional: salt, if necessary
Dice onions and green pepper. Peel garlic cloves and mince garlic (as much as your patience allows-this recipe is forgiving, some big chunks are ok).
Heat olive oil in large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, green pepper and onion. Turn heat down to medium/medium-low. Saute about 10 minutes, stirring and adjusting temperature if need to make sure that garlic does not burn/brown. Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and black pepper. If mixture starts to boil, turn down so that the sauce simmers but doesn't boil, as this can burn the sauce. Let cook 1 1/4 hour.
Add red wine, parsley and basil. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add parmesan cheese and cook 15-30 minutes. Remove from heat. Salt to taste and let cool.
Pour into mason jars and wrap green ribbon around lid. Affix tag to jar instructing: The sauce keeps 1 week in the fridge. Freeze to keep longer. OR: Make and feed to your loved ones. They will love you for it.
