Cajun Shrimp Alfredo

 

I had occasion to go out to lunch with a number of friends last week. We went to a favorite restaurant, one that I have been patronizing since I was in college; the overall experience was a bit of a disappointment. It was shocking how much the prices had gone up over the years, the portions smaller, and the food not quite as good as it used to be. As much as we all enjoyed the time together, we agreed that it’s doubtful that we'll return to this restaurant that we enjoyed so much over the years. That’s a shame.

I got to thinking about the whole dining out experience, and how I tend to enjoy the sociability more than I do the food. It’s gotten to the point where I can make restaurant quality food at home, fresher, with quality ingredients, for a fraction of the price, and I know how that food’s been prepared. Generally, I tend to order Cajun shrimp pasta out, but decided it was time to make it at home. This is an easy recipe that can be on the table in under an hour. Give some thought to how you want to spend your money. I certainly have, and that’s why I’ll be doing more restaurant-style cooking at home.

Cajun Shrimp Alfredo

Serves 2

8 oz. penne rigate pasta

2 T. butter

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Melissa’s shallot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ c. diced Melissa’s fire roasted red bell peppers

1 c. sliced crimini mushrooms

½ lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 c. Alfredo sauce, jarred* or homemade

¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 c. heavy cream

½ t. Cajun seasoning, more or less, to taste

Pinch cayenne pepper, more or less, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chopped parsley, for garnish

 Cook pasta according to package direction. While pasta is cooking, melt butter together with olive oil in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes.

Stir in garlic, red peppers, and mushrooms; cook over medium-high heat until mushrooms have softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in shrimp and cook until firm and pink (3 minutes) and then add the Alfredo saucer, Parmesan, and cream. Simmer, stirring constantly, for about 4-5 minutes until thickened.

Stir in Cajun seasoning, cayenne, and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir drained pasta into sauce and serve immediately. Sprinkle with parsley, for garnish, if desired.

*I used Rao’s.

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The Perfect Porterhouse

I have a new rule in this house. Well, I have a couple of new rules, the first being, Dust woman! For God's sake, dust! The second being that nothing comes into this house without something going out. This goes for everything from books and magazines, to clothing and accessories, to home decor, to food. I am trying, without a whole lot of success, to embrace minimalism. Don't panic. This does not mean that I'm getting rid of any of my dishes. (Although, in all honesty, I did donate my entire set of Fiestaware to charity, but I was ready to see that go.) What this does mean, is that I am going through the freezer, and systematically getting rid of, or rather using up, all of the food that somehow made its way to the back, and has been since forgotten. Nothing dodgy, mind you, just things that need using.

In my endeavor in this regard, I stumbled upon a porterhouse steak. It had been bought back in March of this year, apparently by Mr.O-P who really used to enjoy grocery shopping. I pulled it out and looked at it. Mr. O-P used to be the fish maker and steak griller in the house. I really have little expertise in either of these areas. On the plus side, I am learning a lot about how to do both of these things, and since there was one lone porterhouse and one lone woman wanted to eat, I decided to do a little investigation.

I logged into one of my favorite online sites, epicurious.com, and found a recipe for how to make a porterhouse. The recipe is a simple one and really, really delicious. I’m not likely to buy all that many single porterhouse steaks in the future, but I was glad to have this one, and to learn how to cook it properly. As I sat down to eat it, I couldn't help but think of Jim, and all of the great years that we spent together. If you happen to be living on your own or even if there’s just the two of you, making steaks is really a simple process. Give this recipe a try. I think you'll enjoy it.

The Perfect Porterhouse

(Adapted from epicurious.com)

1 heaping tablespoon of finely chopped, mixed, fresh herbs (I used chives, thyme, and marjoram)

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 porterhouse steak, (3/4 - 1-inch thick)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Let steak sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pat steak dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil to pan. When oil begins to smoke, add the steak and cook until brown and crusted, 3 to 4 minutes per side. 

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in pan and stir in minced herbs. Spoon over steak to baste. Remove steak from heat and place on a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Slide into oven and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the steak registers 120°F for medium-rare, about 5 minutes (or 125°F for medium, about 10 minutes). Transfer steak to a wooden board to rest, about 10 minutes.

Serve.

This post is linked to:

What’s for Dinner Sunday

Art of Homemaking Monday
Make it Pretty Monday
Inspire Me Tuesday
 Dishing it and Digging it
Amaze Me Monday
Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Chicken Vesuvio

Nothing says comfort on a cold winter night than a nice breast of chicken in a sumptuous sauce.  I love this dish because it can be on the table in a half an hour, or less, and is comprised of ingredients that I always have on hand.  A bit of pre-prep is called for, however.  First of all, use boneless, skinless chicken breasts purchased fresh from your grocer's meat counter. Wait for a sale if you must, but please do not use the frozen bags of desiccated chicken breasts.  The difference between the two is remarkable. Second, place your chicken into a lidded container and pour 1-1/2 cups of buttermilk over it and let it hang out in the fridge all day. Turn it once or twice, if you think about it, but if not, no harm done. Buttermilk does for chicken what brining does for pork, tenderizes, and makes it deliciously moist. Try it once, and you'll never prepare chicken again without making use of this easy first step.

Prior to preparing this dish, have all of the ingredients measured out and within reach of the cooktop of the stove. Once begun, the process is rather fast, and you'll have little time for retrieving, chopping, and measuring. I try to employ this practice with every recipe that requires cooking on top of the stove. It makes things fast and easy, and virtually mindless, something I truly appreciate at day's end.

This dish pairs well with rice pilaf, or nestles happily in a mound of freshly mashed potatoes, but I found perfection in the simplicity of the chicken and sauce served with a side of bright green, braised baby bok choy. Come back tomorrow for the recipe for that simple side, and a clever way to serve it for Valentine's Day.

Chicken Vesuvio

(with Mushrooms and Peas)

2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, and seasoned 

with salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup quartered cremini mushrooms, about 2.5 oz

2 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 cup homemade chicken stock

1/2 cup frozen green peas

2 tsp. fresh Meyer lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Place chicken breasts into pan and sauté 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a warmed plate and cover lightly with foil to keep warm.

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat and add mushrooms.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing to brown evenly, then stir in flour and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute more.

Deglaze skillet with sherry and reduce until nearly evaporated. Whisk in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until mixture thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in peas and simmer 2 minutes more; add lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Return chicken and accumulated juices to the pan, covering with sauce until heated through.

Serves 2

This post is linked to:

Create It or Bake It

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Show and Tell Friday