Shrimp, Mushrooms and Broccoli with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

This is another variation on the shrimp/cream theme that I’ve been messing around with lately. But the addition of Gorgonzola just adds this incredible bite that tastes not a whit like mould. Technically you could have this over rice or perhaps some kind of penne or even capellini, but it would probably be equally good on its own, maybe with some scalloped potatoes.



Ingredients

20 - 30 jumbo shrimp, brined and peeled, tails removed, rinsed and patted dry
1 lb. mushrooms, Cremini, Shiitake or even Enoki or a mix, sliced
1 head broccoli, in small florets
1 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup finely chopped garlic
Wedge of Gorgonzola, Cambozola, Stilton or Roquefort, about as much as 2/3rds of a stick of butter
3/4 cup crème fraîche
1/3 cup pancetta, diced into small cubes
Butter
Olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
I cup chicken broth
Pastis
Dried red pepper flakes
Italian parsley, chopped
Basil, chopped
Salt & pepper

Method

You will flambée this dish at two points. Use a charcoal lighter or kitchen match, not a cigarette lighter.

In some olive oil, sauté the shallots and pancetta on medium heat in a nonstick frying pan for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly so as not to scorch. Add garlic and broccoli, sauté further 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat up about 2 tablespoons of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil in same pan. Sauté mushrooms until they have given up their liquid and are turning a rich brown. Carefully splash with about 1/4 cup of pastis, stand well back and immediately light with kitchen match. The flames will go up 2-3 feet, so watch out for your range hood or hold the pan away from it.

When flames have died down, remove mushrooms and set aside in the shallot mixture.

Pour in wine and reduce by approximately half. Add broth and reduce by half again.



Add crumbled Gorgonzola and crème fraîche and gently stir until it becomes a smooth cream. Let simmer approximately ten minutes. Add mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Salt and pepper to taste (this sauce will already be salty, so go easy.)

Simmer, covered, on minimum.

In another nonstick saucepan, heat some butter and olive oil with red pepper flakes until almost smoking. Toss in shrimp and distribute well. After about one minute, with out turning shrimp, pour in another large splash of pastis and flambée. Turn shrimp over for a total cooking time of about three minutes.


Transfer shrimp to cream sauce, toss in basil and parsley, stir to combine well and raise heat to medium. Cook for a further two minutes.


Serve immediately with a half/half mixture of grated Pecorino Romano and Parmigiana Reggiano. Garnish with whole basil leaves.