Shrimp Scampi with Linguini

Shrimp Scampi with Linguini

This is one of my favorite recipes.  I first made it during my senior year of college and have made it dozens of times since then.  I found the recipe after watching Tyler Florence make it on the Food Network channel on TV.  It is a simple shrimp and pasta dish, but it looks and tastes like it came from a nice restaurant.  It only requires a few ingredients, and it’s super easy to make.  In the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta, it is practically ready!  I like to purchase shrimp that is already deveined and peeled (usually it still has the tail on though).  Most of the time I buy frozen shrimp (Costco is a good place to purchase it) and then all you have to do is stick it in a bowl of water to thaw, pinch the tails off, and the shrimp is ready to be cooked.  This recipe is really good served alongside some garlic bread and steamed vegetables.  I hope you like this recipe as much as Eric and I do!!

Recipe from: Tyler Florence, The Food Network

Shrimp Scampi with Linguini

(print recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 pound linguini
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup dry white wine
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley leaves

Directions

1. For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguini. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; then add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm.
4. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a little bit more olive oil and serve immediately.

Serves: 4-6

Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Stew with Red Wine)

Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Stew with Red Wine)

Ever since watching the movie Julie & Julia a few weeks ago, I have wanted to make Boeuf Bourguignon.  I decided to make Ina Garten’s version of this dish, because it seemed simpler and required much less cooking time than Julia Child’s recipe.  The dish turned out wonderfully, and although it was a little labor (and time) intensive, it was fun to make.  It was the first time I’ve ever flambéed something, which was fun too.  If someone had told me 5 years ago that someday I would be purposely lighting something on fire in my kitchen, I would never have believed it!

Another benefit to this stew is that it made excellent leftovers.  In fact, I think it was better the second night.  Also, since I had more time the second night, I was able to make a couple side dishes to round out the meal.  The beef stew paired perfectly with mashed potatoes (I like mashed Yukon gold potatoes), steamed broccoli, and garlic bread.

Adapted from: Barefoot in Paris cookbook, by Ina Garten (pg. 121-123)

Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 6 ounces good bacon, diced
• 1 ½ pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
• ¼ cup Brandy
• ½  (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Pinot Noir
• 1 can (2 cups) beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves ( ½ teaspoon dried)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Toss the carrots, and onions, ½ tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Brandy, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 ¼ hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew.  Sauté the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

Sprinkle each serving with parsley, if desired, and serve with garlic bread.

Serves: 4

Cook the bacon.

Sear the beef cubes in the hot oil/bacon fat until browned.

Saute the carrots and onions.

Flambe the brandy.

Wait for the alcohol to burn off.

Saute the mushrooms.

Mashed potatoes are a good side dish.