The recipe chosen this week for CEiMB, using Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, was selected by Farah at Confessions of a Novice Baker and is Linguine with Shrimp and Vegetables, found on pages 160-161.
Another hit of a recipe around here, enjoyed by all four of us. Shrimp is a regular guest on our menus as we all like seafood and this was a fine way to showcase it.
The recipe was easy: make the linguine, meanwhile assemble the remaining ingredients and cook according to the directions, things like asparagus, garlic, shrimp, lemon juice, white wine, parsley, tomatoes, Parmigiano, salt & pepper. As I was making the sauce, since it uses a cup of pasta water, I was thinking this sauce was going to be very watery and runny, even after reducing a bit. The Whisk Chick in me wanted to secretly just add 2 teaspoons of butter and 2 Tablespoons of cream at the end to thicken it up a bit and give it some depth of flavor, but I resisted. Twice. Because, I really wanted to add that extra bit at the end. You know what? I am delighted that I resisted because the recipe is perfect as written.
The sauce is absorbed further by the pasta, the tomatoes with their juice give the sauce a nice soft pinkish hue, the flavorings from the ingredients, spices, wine, and lemon juice are very refreshing and light and the whole dish turned out perfectly wonderful. I wouldn't change a thing the next time I make it. Guys all loved it just as it was, so am thinking this one is a definite keeper.
Next week: Carrot, Green Apple, and Mint Salad, page 131.