Mise en Place - Recipes

[Franken Cusine] Lemon Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Pasta by Lynn

From Forrest Gump:

"Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it"

Well Bubba, if you add pasta, there's a lot other level to shrimp! Let's begin:

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces Linguine Pasta
2 Tablespoons olive oil
6 Tablespoons butter (don't be afraid of butter, I'm pretty sure it will balance out with the spinach and the wine that will come with it.)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1¼ pound large shrimp (you can use chicken too)
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
4 cups baby spinach
½ cup parmesan cheese (buy a piece and grate it yourself if you can... worth it!)
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot cook the pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain and leave it nearby.

2. Now's the good part! This is where things start to smell delicious! Get yourself a pot that can hold it all. Heat olive oil and 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until you can smell the spice on it all. (There's something very gratifying about liberating spice through heat. But just in case, watch out for tears! I once tried this with cayenne instead of flakes and cried a river)

3. Add the shrimp and salt and pepper to taste. Flip 'em around until they start to turn pink. Add Italian seasoning and spinach and cook until wilted.

4. Add the pasta, mixing it with the remaining butter, parmesan, and parsley. Stir until mixed and butter is melted.

5. Add the lemon juice before serving and serve while hot. (Lemon is the friend of fresh seafood, squeeze at leisure!)