Nick's Garlic Shrimp Linguine

Bought some fresh linguine at Capitol at Jean-Talon market the other day, so I decided to make some garlic shrimp. At my local Metro they now have a frozen self-serve case where you can choose various-sized shrimp at $9.99 a pound so I’m always tempted. I’m basically on a shrimp kick as a leftover from my vegetabledom.

I improvised this recipe, so you’ll probably want to as well.

Garlic Shrimp Linguine



Ingredients
12-13 large raw shrimp, peeled (tails off)
4-5 large shallots, finely chopped
6-7 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 lb. fresh Shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and sliced
1 lb. fresh linguine pasta
2/3 cup dry white wine
Olive oil
Compound herb butter
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Red pepper flakes
Italian parsley
Basil
Salt and sugar for brining shrimp

Method
About thirty minutes before starting to cook, brine frozen shrimp in lukewarm water with about 1/3 cup of salt (dissolved) and about 1/4 cup caster sugar (dissolved).

Cook pasta until a hair short of al dente, about 4-5 minutes. Do not overcook! The pasta will cook further with the other ingredients.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat about three tablespoons olive oil on medium heat until shimmering. Sauté mushrooms until they have lost their water, about five minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add about two tablespoons herb butter and sauté shallots for about five minutes; add garlic and sauté three minutes more.

Remove and add to bowl with mushrooms.

Rinse shrimp under cold running water, pat dry.

Add two more tablespoons herb butter to pan and one teaspoon pepper flakes. Add shrimp and sauté for about two minutes on one side and three minutes on the other. Remove and place with shallot-mushroom mixture.

Add wine to pan. Cook until vaguely syrupy, about 8-10 minutes. Add the cooked pasta, the shallot-mushroom-shrimp mixture, and the two cheeses. Chop about half a cup each of the basil and parsley. On medium-heat, mix all ingredients thoroughly; serve immediately on warmed plates. Drink a nice dry Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.