Food & Wine Chickie Insider

Shrimp Cappellini

I’m always amazed to hear people say that they can’t find anything to eat at their house.  Anyone with a decent pantry should be able to turn up a simple delicious meal in minutes.

Today, Friday, is the day before my weekly trip to the grocery store, so the fresh food on hand is limited, but I made a tasty Shrimp Cappellini lunch with the following basic ingredients from the pantry and with shrimps from the freezer:

Ingredients:

• Dry Cappellini, for one person
• 1/4 cups olive oil
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• Salt & black pepper
• 5 medium shrimps
• Shaved Parmesan

Directions:

1. Cook a portion of cappellini according to package directions, drain
2. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan until nearly smoking, about 20 seconds
3. Add pepper flakes, salt and black pepper to the oil and cook for 30 seconds
4. Add  shrimps and sauté for 3 minutes, ensuring not to overcook
5. Toss the pasta into the hot oil mixture, coating well
6. Serve pasta with shaved parmesan and a sprinkling of black pepper

There are tons of other simple ideas such as the Shrimp Cappellini that you can easily made from pantry foods.  Share your favorites!

• 1 small pkg. flake-style imitation crabmeat
• 6 ounces linguini
• 2 large minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 tbs. butter
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• ½ cup whipping cream
• ½ cup sliced green onions
• ½ cup Swiss cheese
• ½ cup parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  Cook garlic and oregano in butter in a saucepan, stirring frequently, 1 minute.  Add tomato; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients; mix well.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted and sauce is hot.  Top pasta with sauce.

3-4 Servings.

• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• 48 little neck clams in the shell
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• pinch hot pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1 tbs. chopped parsley
• 1 lb linguini, cooked according to package directions

Soak clams in water to cover for 5 minutes, rinse and scrub under running water.  In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil.  Add garlic cloves and cook 5 minutes.  Add pepper flakes, clams, white wine and cook 5 minutes or until wine evaporates.

Cover and simmer, shaking pan, about 5 minutes until clams open.  Discard any clams not opened.

Toss clams with parsley and cooked linguini, top with bread crumbs.

4 Servings.

• 6 lasagna noodles
• 1 can (15 ounces) Italian-style tomato sauce

Filling:

• 1 pkg. imitation crab flakes
• 1 cup cottage cheese, drained
• ¼ cup parmesan
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs. parsley
• ¼ tsp. onion powder

Cook noodles as directed on package.  Rinse in cold water; drain well.  Combine filling ingredients with fork.  Spread 1/3 cup filling on each noodle.  Roll tightly; place seam-side down in a 9-inch baking pan.  Pour sauce over rollups.  Bake covered at 375 F for 30 minutes.  Garnish with grated cheese.

6 Servings.

• 1-  6-ounce can fancy lump crabmeat
• 1 cup (4 ounces) Muenster cheese
• 4 Tbs. green onion, chopped
• 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 English muffins, split

Combine crabmeat, 1/2 cup cheese, 3 Tbs. green onions, mayonnaise, and Worcestershire sauce in medium bowl; blend.  Season with pepper.  Preheat broiler.  Arrange muffins split side up on baking sheet.  Broil until starting to color, about 1 minute.  Mount 1/4 of the crabmeat mixture on each muffin half.  Top with remaining cheese and green onions.  Broil until filling is heated and cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

4 Servings.

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 lb. butter
• 12-16 ounces fresh seafood (shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab work well and can be used interchangeably)
• freshly grated parmesan (Locatelli works well)
• 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
• 12 ounces fettucine noodles, cooked to al dente

Poach all seafood in simmering water for about 4 minutes.  Drain well on paper towel.  Place butter in a pan on medium heat.  Add poached seafood, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until warmed through.  Add cream and raise heat to medium-high.  Cook until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.  Add cheese and pasta.  Place on a platter and garnish with parsley.

2 Servings.

• 1 1/2 lb. Unpeeled medium shrimp
• 1 lb. Crab meat
• 1 7-ounce package thin spaghetti
• 1 tsp. Oil
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter plus 1 Tbs.
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 6 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 tsp. Pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cook shrimp just until done in boiling salted water; drain and rinse with cold water.  Peel shrimp and set aside.

Cook pasta al dente; drain well, toss with oil to keep moist.  Set aside.

In a skillet, melt 1 Tbs. Butter over medium heat, then sauté onion and celery until tender 10 minutes.  Set aside.

In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt rest of the butter; add flour and stir and cook until smooth and bubbly, about 2 minutes.  Gradually add broth and cream; cook over medium, stirring, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Add Swiss cheese, sherry, salt, and pepper and sautéed vegetables and stir until cheese melts.  Remove from heat.  Stir in pasta, shrimp, and crab and mix well.  Spoon mixture into lightly greased shallow casserole.

Bake uncovered at 350 F.  For 20 minutes.  Broil until lightly golden.

6 Servings.

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 large leeks, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbs. chopped garlic
• 12 halves Vesuvius Tomatoes(see recipe)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 24 littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 2 cups bottled clam juice
• 32 mussels
• 6 oz capocollo or country ham cut into matchstick size pieces
• 1/3 cup parsley

Vesuvius Tomatoes:

• 2 Tbs. plus 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• 12 large ripe plum tomatoes, halved
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• 12 fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 250 F. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in skillet and add onions. Sauté 8 minutes. Place tomatoes in single layer in large roasting pan. Add onions, 1/2 cup oil, garlic, basil, salt, sugar, and red pepper; toss. Roast about 2 hours.

Stew:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat.  Add leeks and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add Vesuvius Tomatoes and wine and boil 2 minutes.  Add clams and clam juice.  Cover and cook 5 minutes.  Add mussels, cover and cook until clams and mussels open, about 4 minutes.  Mix in capocollo and parsley.

4 Servings

• 12 canned artichoke hearts (Reese brand, two 14-ounce cans)
• 4 (6-ounce) cans lump crab meat
• 5 tbs. butter
• 2/3 cup finely diced bell peppers
• 1 cup fine diced onions
• 12 small fresh mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced
• 2 tbs. lemon juice
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• salt & pepper
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ tsp. Romano cheese
• 1 ½ tbs. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Drain the artichokes well.  Carefully open them to make a pocket for the stuffing and turn them upside down on paper towel to drain completely.

Drain the crab meat well.  Pick any shell bits.  Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbs. butter.  Add the bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms and sauté about 3 minutes until wilted but not brown.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

While vegetables are cooling, mix together lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt, black and cayenne peppers in a nonreactive container.  Stir in cooled vegetables and crab meat, making sure all is well incorporated.

With a spoon, divide stuffing among the artichokes.  Cut the remaining butter into 12 slices and place on top of each artichoke.  Combine the cheeses and sprinkle over each heart.

Bake in center of oven 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

4 servings of 3 hearts.

• 2 cups cooked fresh lobster meat, cut into ½-inch pieces
• ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 tbs. flour
• 2 tbs. dry sherry
• 2 tbs. dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2/3 cup Parmesan
• 2 tbs. minced parsley
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tbs. sliced black olives

Melt butter in a nonreactive skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots and sauté 1 minute.  Whisk in flour.  Add sherry, white wine, and chicken broth.  Cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly.  Stir in lobster meat, 1/3-cup cheese, parsley, cream, and mustard.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring often.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour lobster mixture in a shallow baking dish.  Sprinkle remaining cheese over dip and place under broiler for 1 minute or until cheese is melted.  Garnish with olives.

4 servings.