Recipe: Shrimp Pasta Primavera

Spring has sprung, and that means one thing: It's time to take full advantage of the fresh fruits and veggies showing up at the grocery store and farmer's markets! The word primavera literally means "first spring," and once you've tried it, it's easy to see where it got its name -- it's based on vegetables that are in their prime in late spring and early summer. In this take on the recipe, I add in shrimp for an easy one-dish meal that's perfect for a light supper. Frozen precooked shrimp also makes this recipe lightning-quick to prepare.


Shrimp Pasta Primavera


Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 cup bottled roasted red bell pepper
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced on an angle into 1” sections
1 zucchini, sliced into quarters
1 yellow squash, sliced into quarters
1 tablespoon white Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound frozen shrimp, thawed, rinsed, and well-drained


Directions:


Prepare spaghetti according to manufacturer’s directions. Drain and set aside.


Meanwhile, cook olive oil, garlic, red bell pepper, and asparagus in a large skillet over medium-high heat until garlic is fragrant, about 3 – 5 minutes. Add zucchini and yellow squash; cook until just tender. Add Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes and shrimp; stir well to combine.


Add spaghetti and stir well to combine. Heat until shrimp and spaghetti are hot; serve immediately.

Recipe: Seafood Linguine with Tomato-Caper Sauce

My husband recently prepared this recipe for the first time, and hasn't stopped raving about how fast and easy it is. If you've taken "Luscious," you may already know how poaching fish is a terrific way to get dinner on the table in a hurry. If so, here's another recipe for your collection. If not, this is the easiest recipe for poached fish I have, so even if you're not much of a cook, this recipe is for you. Enjoy!

Seafood Linguine with Tomato-Caper Sauce

Ingredients:

 
1 pound linguine

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic

2 teaspoons capers

½ teaspoon - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ cup sherry or white wine

1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 pound seafood (I use swai or shrimp)

 

Directions:

Cook linguine according to manufacturer’s directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet. Cook garlic over medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Add capers, red pepper flakes, sherry and tomato sauce and stir to combine well. Add seafood and heat until just cooked through. Add linguine to skillet and gently stir to combine (break apart seafood, if necessary).

Recipe: Thai Coconut Shrimp

I'm posting this recipe for a student in "Luscious" who suggested adding coconut milk to Thai Shrimp. This recipe is quite different from Thai Shrimp, but it offers all the flavor intrigue, perfectly balancing sweet, spicy, savory and sour tastes.

If your local grocery store doesn't stock them, it's worth the effort to journey to your nearest Asian market to find fish sauce and curry paste. If you can’t find fish sauce, substitute 2 tablespoons soy sauce and ½ - 1 teaspoon anchovy paste. Use 2 teaspoons of hot sauce (preferably Asian) in lieu of the curry paste. 

Thai Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients: 

8 ounces spaghetti

1 cup water

1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon bottled minced ginger

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

2 teaspoons green or red Thai curry paste

2 teaspoons lime juice  

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 3/4 teaspoon dried basil flakes)

1 pound small cooked, shelled and deveined shrimp, thawed

 Directions: 

Prepare spaghetti, following manufacturer’s directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, using a whisk, thoroughly combine water, coconut milk, cornstarch, fish sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, curry paste and lime juice in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until sauce is thick.

Add shrimp and cooked spaghetti, and cook until shrimp is heated through.

Recipe: Greek Salmon with Orzo

I've tweaked this recipe a little since I posted it back in 2009. I amped up the dressing with lemon juice, ground cayenne, and peppercorn mix to give it a bit more zip. Opa!

Greek Salmon with Orzo

 I developed this recipe when experimenting with orzo for the first time. Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta associated with Greece, so I used seasonings and ingredients reminiscent of a Greek flavor profile. It was an immediate hit with my family, and continues to be a family favorite. The recipe makes about 10 cups, so if you're cooking for 1 or 2, you may wish to halve the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 (1-pound) package orzo
1 pound salmon fillets
Water (about 4 cups)
½ cup bottled minced garlic (or 6 cloves garlic, minced)
2 tablespoons basil flakes
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
2 teaspoons oregano flakes
1 teaspoon rosemary
2 large tomatoes, diced (or 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained)
6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 (6-ounce) can black olives, halved or sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
2 dashes ground cayenne
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground peppercorn mix

Directions:

Prepare orzo, following manufacturer’s instructions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, place salmon in large skillet. Add enough water to just cover. Add garlic, parsley, basil flakes, oregano, and rosemary to water, and gently stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer until salmon is cooked through. Drain and set aside. Using a slotted spoon, drain out garlic and other seasonings, and reserve with salmon.

In a small measuring cup, combine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, water, cayenne, and peppercorn mix. Mix with a fork or whisk to combine.

To prepare, combine orzo, salmon and seasonings, tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, fresh basil, and vinegar mixture in large bowl, breaking up salmon into bite-sized chunks and mixing well to combine.