cajun pasta

I thoroughly enjoy cooking. I especially like unique foods from different cultures ... although some of it has been surprising and some has been unpalatable. I don't fill up this blog with recipes, but occassionally I have to make an exception. Such is the case for cajun pasta. Follow along!

Starting with one pound of peeled shrimp (or I think scallops would work well, too). Season liberally with Old Bay or Emeril's "essence". Next, cook one pound of pasta (penne, farfalle, etc - no spaghetti-like stuff) to JUST AL DENTE, as you will cook it more later. Next, lightly cook the shrimp in a pan, no more than one minute per side, just enough to make the shrimp pink and opaque. This should be done in just a bit of olive oil or olive oil and butter. Remove the shrimp and lay out in a single layer to help stop the cooking. Now, add diced bell pepper and diced onion to the pan along with diced andoille sausage (one is enough, two would be really great). Stir fry these until the onion is well caramelized and the sausage is browned. Add garlic (1 - 3 cloves, minced) and stir for another minute or so. Deglaze the pan with a half cup of chicken stock (I used 98% fat free). Add one can of petite diced tomatoes (freshly diced when available, but canned works well, too) and stir. Add another good 3/4 tablespoon of Old Bay or essence. Add half a cup of non-fat evaporated milk (or half-and-half or heavy cream if the calories are not a concern) and stir well. Keep the heat around medium or slightly above for all of this. Add a tablespoon or so of tomato paste and season to taste with salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme. Add the pasta and shrimp back into the pot and stir. Lower the temperature to below medium and allow the sauce to thicken. Spoon it up and enjoy!