Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Favorite Recipes

Pasta with Peas, Cream, Parsley and Mint

(Menu can be found here. More menus here and here.)

Prep: 20 minutes; Total: 20 minutes
Servings: Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
1 16-ounce package large shell pasta or elbow pasta1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream1 16-ounce package frozen petite peas (do not thaw)2 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving1/4 cup chopped fresh mint1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided

Preparation
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.
Meanwhile, bring cream to simmer in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peas and simmer just until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups cheese and stir until melted and sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in mint and 1/4 cup parsley. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat, adding pasta cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve, passing additional Parmesan alongside.

Penne with Shrimp and Morel Mushrooms

Servings: 8

Ingredients
4 half-ounce packages dried motel mushrooms
2 1/2 cups very hot water
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp (shelled/deveined)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1 1/2 pounds crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, thickly sliced
5 garlic cloves (peeled/pressed into small bowm)
1/2 cup dried white wine
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 pounds penne
1/2 cup chopped parsley

Preparation
Place dried morels in medium bowl: add 2 1/2 cups hot water. Soak until tender (~35 in). Lift out morels, squeezing liquid back into bowl; reserve liquid.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Saute until just opaque in center (~3 min). Transfer shrimp to bowl. Add 1/4 cup oil to same skillet; reduce heat to medium-high. Add morels, crimini mushrooms, garlic and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms are browned (~8min). Add wine. Cook 1 min, scraping up browned bits. Add cream and 1 cup mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any sediment in bowl. Boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon (~10min).
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain and return to same pot.
Add mushroom sauce, parsley, and shrimp to pasta in pot. Toss over medium-high heat until warmed through, adding more mushroom soaking liquid if pasta is dry. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl to serve.

Drink
2005 Goats Do Roam "In Villages" Red ($15) from S. Africa (or Rhone-style Red)