This is a great summer recipe that I know I will make often. Just a quick sauté of zucchini and corn to keep their crunch and freshness, with garlic, olive oil butter and shallots adding to the glossy sauce. Feel free to add whatever else calls to you, like olives or capers. My modifications were to deglaze the pan with white wine after the garlic and shallot were softened, double the corn (which is so delicious in this sauce), and toss in a handful of grape tomatoes with the zucchini. A splash of lemon juice at the end brightens the dish I thought, along with a sprinkling of Parmesan. Leftovers made a wonderful lunch! I had basil but no mint; would like to see what that adds next time. Credit goes to Dan Pelosi for the New York Times.
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound linguine or other long pasta
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed (about 20 shrimp)
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
4 Tbs. olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium shallot, or 1/2 medium onion, minced
Red-pepper flakes
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch rounds, then each round cut into quarters
2 cups corn kernels (2 to 3 large ears)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint for garnishing
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, for garnishing
In a large pasta pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve one cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and season with salt. In a separate large pot, melt 2 Tbs. of butter into 2 Tbs. of oil over medium high. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook until just opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to extract shrimp and set aside.
Maintaining medium-high heat, add the garlic, shallot and a pinch each of salt, black pepper and red pepper, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant and shallot is translucent, about 3 minutes. (Deglaze with white wine here if you wish.) Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes. Add corn along with remaining 2 Tbs. of olive oil and a pinch of salt; stir to coat. Cook until the corn is bright yellow and warm, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, they should maintain their crispness.
Add pasta to the pot with the vegetables, followed by the shrimp, 1/2 cup pasta water and remaining 2 Tbs. butter. Stir to combine, reheating shrimp while creating a glossy sauce, about 90 seconds. Remove from the heat and add the mint and basil and stir. Serves 4 to 6.
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