Pasta with Shrimp and Peas
From The Yankee Cookbook
Salads Recipes | Pasta Recipes | Fish and Seafood Recipes
Yield: 4 servings
Pale pink and green on gold, this summery special is as pretty as it is delicious. Fast, too, ready in the time it takes to cook the noodles.
- 10 ounces wagon-wheel pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup sliced new baby onions or scallions
- 2 cups green peas, about 2 pounds in the shell
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup shredded fresh basil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 3 cups cooked shrimp, about 1-1/4 pounds (see note on substitutions)
1. Start the pasta.
2. As soon as the noodles are in the water, melt the butter in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it is just translucent, about 3 minutes.
3. Add peas and cream, bring to a boil, and cook until the peas are bright green and cream is reduced by about a third, 3 or 4 minutes more.
4. Add the smaller amounts of basil lime juice, and salt, then the shrimp. Heat through, taste, then adjust the basil, lime, and salt - flavors should be fairly strong in view of all that pasta. Turn off the sauce and let it sit until the pasta is ready, which should be very soon.
5. When pasta is al dente, drain well, toss with sauce, and serve.
A NOTE ON SUBSTITUTIONS
There ain't none, really, but small fresh Gulf shrimp may be used in the master recipe and of course are appropriate for Carol's New Orleans Barbecue, though the shells of Gulf shrimp are tougher and will not crisp up enough to eat. Shrimp with peas depends on the sweetness of Maine shrimp; if they are not available, cook something else.
Reviews by Readers
Light and refreshing, great flavor without being overwhelming. – Reviewed by Heather Edwards
Just plain loved it and was easy to make! – Anonymous Review
While we enjoyed the summery taste of this recipe, I think it is misleading to say that it goes together in fifteen minutes. This ignores the forty-five minutes I spent shelling the peas, the twenty minutes I spent chopping the scallions and basil, the time I spent peeling and cooking the shrimp... – Reviewed by Chris Heckman
