I'm freshly returned from an extra-long girls weekend in New Orleans and Ocean Springs, Mississippi. (Food memories coming soon!) The beach was lovely, and with the help of three lovely women and a crap-ton of wine I came back home fully relaxed.
We consumed our fair share of seafood and Oh My, Nola it was so fresh and wonderful!
At a fish market in Mississippi buying shrimps and mud-bugs.
Check out the ginormous Grouper!
Anyway… I love shrimp, I love spicy, and as my thighs will attest, I loves me some pasta. And in my desperate attempt to cling to the warm memories of the beachy good time, I give you tonight's dinner:
Roasted Cajun Shrimp and Asparagus with Spicy Pasta Aglio e Olio
For the pasta:
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1/2 pound spaghetti
- 4-5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp butter
- ~1 cup reserved pasta water (or chicken broth if you screw up and forget)
- Optional variation: Add fresh basil, parsley and Parmesan cheese into the pasta at the end.
Start the water to boil in a large pot with 1 Tbsp salt. When the water is boiling add the pasta. (In the meantime, pop the asparagus in the oven).
Thinly slice the garlic (and chop basil and parsley if using).
When the pasta is done set aside about 1 cup of the water. Try not to be a dumb-ass and forget like I do sometimes… If you do forget, you can use some chicken broth. But it won't be as good.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large sauce pan (big enough to hold the spaghetti at the end) over medium heat. Saute the garlic for a couple of minutes.
When the garlic is *just* starting to turn goldeny, add the crushed red pepper flakes. Add more or less depending on how spicy you like it. Saute for about 30 seconds or so.
Add the reserved pasta water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by about 1/3 or so. (In the meantime, start roasting the shrimp!)
Add the pasta into the sauce and toss to coat. Turn off the heat and optionally add the basil, parsley and parmesan. I usually make it this way if I just want to eat the pasta by itself, and honestly, it doesn't need the cheese. I know, I know… I'm a shameful disappoint to the world of fromagerie.
For the roasted shrimp and asparagus:
- 1 pound of raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
- Cajun rub:
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Garlic salt
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp Parsley
- A smidge of freshly ground black pepper
- Asparagus
- More cajun seasoning
- Olive oil
- 1 lemon quartered
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. (Anyone wanna teach me some scientific html?)
Mix together the ingredients for the rub in a 1-gallon ziploc bag… Honestly, just use however much you want and whatever you want. We're just playing around here.
After cleaning the shrimp toss it in the bag, seal and toss the shrimp to coat with the rub. Put it back in the refrigerator.
Rinse the asparagus and pat dry with a paper towel. Snap off the ends.
Toss the asparagus with olive oil on a sheet pan, and lightly dust with some cajun seasoning. Roast the asparagus for 10-15 minutes.
Add the shrimp to the baking sheet and roast for another 5 or 6 minutes, until the shrimp is slightly pink and no longer transparent.
Serve the shrimp and asparagus over the pasta and garnish with a lemon wedge.
Pasta recipe slightly adapted from Ina Garten's How Easy is That?
So-Called Instant Pudding 