COMMENT:
Although many Cajun dishes are often mistaken for being hot and
spicy, this recipe certainly adds credibility to that myth. This
recipe is an old fishing camp dish, and the fisherman had no trouble
extinguishing the heat with a can of ice-cold beer. Please feel
free to tone down the spice to your liking.
INGREDIENTS:
- 36 jumbo shrimp, head-on
- 6 cups cooked penne pasta
- ¼ pound butter
- ½ cup onions, minced
- ¼ cup celery, minced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, minced
- ¼ cup yellow bell pepper, minced
- 2 tbsps garlic, minced
- ½ cup andouille or tasso, julienned
- ¼ cup green onions, sliced
- ½ cup Rotel tomatoes
- ½ cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tsp cayenne or jalapeño peppers, minced
- 1 ounce dry white wine
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsps basil, chopped
- 2 tbsps fresh thyme leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
Peel shrimp shells from the tail being careful not to break the
head from the tail. (You may wish to make 2 cups of shrimp stock
using the shells and add it in place of an equal amount of whipping
cream to lower the fat.) In a 12- to 14-inch cast iron skillet,
melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers
and garlic. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables
are wilted. Add andouille and continue to cook one minute. Add green
onions, tomatoes and mushrooms. Continue to sauté 3 to 5
minutes. Add cayenne peppers and deglaze with white wine and lemon
juice. Add heavy whipping cream and bring to a rolling boil. Lower
to simmer and reduce to approximately ½ volume. Add shrimp,
basil and thyme and cook until shrimp are pink and curled. Do not
overcook. Season to taste using salt and pepper. Heat cooked pasta
under hot running water and drain well. Place the pasta in the center
of a large serving platter and top with the shrimp diablo, arranging
shrimp decoratively over the surface. Garnish with fresh basil.
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