Jalapeno Skillet Shrimp Over Pasta

So one leeeeetle vacation...one tiny week break turned into another.
And then another.

So you'd think I'd be all chatty and have something to say.  Being gone all this time and all.
You'd be wrong.

Except that there's this recipe for Spicy Roast Chicken I like.  I found it in Food and Wine Magazine several years ago.  It has Dijon mustard, lemon, pickled jalapeno, and breadcrumbs.

I felt for it, but it's just too hot to have the oven on for more than...say...5 minutes.

Five minutes really isn't going to roast a chicken, is it?

I borrowed the flavors from the chicken recipe and smashed them all up with one of my favorite quick-cooking ingredients: shrimp.


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Jalapeno Skillet Shrimp (over pasta)

3 TBSP olive oil
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 TBSP Creole mustard
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 TBSP pickled jalapenos
1 TBSP pickling liquid from jalapenos
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 TBSP chopped parsley
1 TBSP butter
4 servings cooked pasta, any kind

Optional Topping:
zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBSP chopped parsley
1/2 c panko breadcrumbs

Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving about 1 cup of cooking liquid.
(While water for pasta comes to a boil, prep the ingredients for the shrimp.)

If using, combine all of the topping ingredients and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper.  Saute for about 3-5 minutes, until shrimp are pink.  Add the mustard, garlic, jalapenos, jalapeno liquid, and lemon juice to the skillet.  Cook and stir for about 2-3 minutes to heat through.  Toss in the parsley, butter, and cooked pasta.  Add pasta cooking liquid as needed to thin out the sauce.  Transfer to a platter and top with breadcrumb mixture.


More pasta...

In the past...

Linking with:

Mediterranean Magic {Nigel Slater's Pepper, Tomato, and Basil Pasta}

It's been so long since I've participated with I Heart Cooking Clubs.  Just can't seem to keep a regular schedule these days.  With anything.

This week, I'm prepared though.  No way I was going to miss this theme: Mediterranean Magic.
Mediterranean food covers a lot of ground.  My favorite type is Greek.

But our current chef, Nigel Slater, makes this pasta that is straight out of the garden.

While I can't resist Greek food, going out to the garden and picking dinner appeals to me even more.

The red pepper boats, stuffed with tomato, garlic, basil dressing, and capers (my addition) could be great on their own.  Maybe as an appetizer?  Served over pasta, they became a filling but summery meal.

HERE is the original recipe.  I took liberties based on what I had and personal taste.

My cherry tomato plant was empty when it came time to cook, so I chopped a couple of Creole tomatoes.  Capers seemed like a nice add-in, so I went with it.  I'm glad I did because they gave just the right amount of...something...not sure what.  After adding the oil and juices from the peppers to the pasta, it was still kind of bland, so more capers and some of the caper liquid was tossed into the pasta too.  I think it would be a good idea to make extra basil dressing and add some directly to the pasta.

Would make again...really liked it.  Thought it was a perfect summer meal.

Linking with 

My Kind of Festival Food {Creamy Shrimp & Grits w/ Andouille}

Spring is "Festival Season" in Louisiana.  The Holidays are done.  Mardi Gras is over.  The temperatures and humidity levels are still bearable.  People have the time and motivation to get out and enjoy festival music and food.

Like one of my favorite festival foods: Shrimp & Grits.

 Of course, Fall is also considered "Festival Season" and we have festivals year round.  When you have a festival for everything under the sun, it's hard to pack everything into just the Spring months.

We don't go to every festival out there, but we try to make a few every year.  Apparently, we've been doing it for a long time.

At the Kolache Festival in Caldwell, Texas, 2002.

That baby is now 12.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Many festivals focus on a certain type of food.  If that's the case, I feel obligated to eat that food item while I'm there.

But I'm always drawn to Shrimp & Grits.  There are many variations--I like trying them all.

Next week, I'll have a Creole version for you.  Today, it's one of my biggest weaknesses: a creamy sauce.

And lots of green onions.
Because that's how I roll.
In piles of green onion.

I could eat grits every day.  The Boy not so much.  If you don't eat grits (and, really, what's wrong with you?), this is also good over pasta.

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Creamy Shrimp & Grits (w/ Andouille)

1/2 TBSP olive oil
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 lb andouille sausage, cubed
1/2 medium onion, chopped or sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped or sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 TBSP flour
1/2 lb small-medium shrimp
salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, to taste
3/4 c half and half
1/2 cup sliced green onion, divided

Add olive oil to a large skillet set on medium high heat.  When the pan and oil are very hot, add the mushrooms and sear until well browned and the mushrooms no longer give off liquid.  Remove from the pan.

Lower the heat to medium and add the andouille.    Saute until the sausage begins to brown in spots, about 5-7 minutes. Then add the onion and bell pepper.  Saute until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the mushrooms back to the pan along with the garlic.  Cook for about 1 minute.  Sprinkle in the flour and add the shrimp to the pan.  Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.  Cook, stirring, for about 6-8 minutes until the shrimp are no longer pink.

Slowly pour in the half and half, stirring to incorporate.  Add half of the green onions.  Simmer for about 10 minutes to thicken.  (Make the grits while the sauce simmers).  Serve over grits and top with the remaining green onions.  Serves 4.

For the grits:

olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 c chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
1 c grits
1 c grated cheese

Add a splash of olive oil to a saucepan.  Briefly saute the garlic until fragrant.  Add the chicken broth and season to taste with salt and pepper (grits need a fair amount of salt).  Bring to a boil and whisk in the grits.  Simmer until grits are tender.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.



Some June Festivals in Louisiana:
The Buggy Festival of Church Point, LA
French Market Creole Tomato Festival, New Orleans, LA
Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival, New Orleans, LA
Louisiana Catfish Festival, Des Allemands, LA
Le Festival de la Viande Boucanee (Smoked Meat Festival), Ville Platte, LA
Beauregard Watermelon Festival, DeRidder, LA
Louisiana Peach Festival, Ruston, LA

More Grits...

In the Past...

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