Shrimp Linguini Alfredo

I had a pint of heavy cream left over from a Slovian nut roll I made for Three Kings Day. I really hate it when I have to throw expired goods away. Like the four pears that ended up in the trash because I kept putting off and putting off making something with them. Cream especially is not a cheap commodity. Ideally I should have made my favorite Gingered Pear Crisp. Golden spires of cinnamon crisp and gingered pears encircled by a mote of cream. The perfect excuse for a dinner party. Only there has been no time for a party and now my pears are a soupy mush.

Friday night is movie night and therefore kids menu night as well. The choices are usually limited to…well, kids favorites. Little ones can be pretty finicky. Take my three year old for example. His diet mainly consists of cereal, yogurt, cheese, milk and few bites of dinner (a bribe he must eat in order to have a yogurt with his dinner). The other two will eat most authentic italian food especially anything alfredo. Now normally my alfredo is a generic knock off using milk and flour with a little parmesan. The best part is the spinach filled raviolis they devour by the fork load. Give them homemade mac and cheese and I have a war to deal with.

Once again they surprise me. Only problem was I was not prepared. There was a time they liked shrimp. Then they did not. Now they do. My tip for Shrimp Alfredo is to make extra shrimp, just in case.

Serves 6
Source: ButterYum Blogspot
1 pound peeled and de-veined shrimp, cooked
1 pound linguine or fettuccine
2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-4 cloves of garlic, smashed and left whole
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
lemon zest for garnish (optional)

If using frozen cooked shrimp thaw in the refrigerator that morning.
Cook raw shrimp in 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup chicken broth; until slightly pink. Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until desired doneness.

Meanwhile, in a very large saute pan, heat the butter and olive oil over med-hi heat. Add the smashed garlic cloves and cook for a minute or two, until you the garlic has flavored the butter/oil well, you will be able to smell the garlic aroma. It’s okay to let the garlic brown a bit, but don’t let it burn. Remove the garlic from the butter/oil. Add the heavy cream; heat until bubbly. Add the cheese; stir until melted and well incorporated. Lower the heat and simmer at a slow rolling boil until the pasta is ready.

Drain pasta. Just before adding the pasta, add the shrimp to the sauce and gently heat through; being careful not to over cook. Add the parsley, salt and pepper, and optional lemon zest; stir. Add pasta and toss well; serve immediately.

Note – this dish will thicken quickly upon standing. Recipe doubles well. Leftovers can be reheated by adding a little milk and stirring slowly over med heat. Cooked chicken and/or other long pasta shapes can be substituted.