4/25/07  Linguini with Citrus Shrimp and Basil
(serves two adults and two children)

One of the staples that I keep in my basement freezer is shrimp. To begin with, shrimp are best bought frozen. (Shrimp sold as "fresh" are almost always thawed, because shrimp boats typically freeze their catch as soon as it's caught.) Second, shrimp defrost in minutes in a cold-water bath. Finally, if you buy the easy-peel variety, they're really, uh, easy to peel. On weeknights, I like to use them in stir-fries, in nabeyaki udon (Japanese noodle soup), and in mixed grills. But this is probably my family's favorite quick shrimp recipe.

• 1 lb frozen shrimp
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 12 large fresh basil leaves
• zest of a large orange
• 1 lb dried linguini
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 c dry vermouth
• 1/2 c chicken broth
• juice of a lemon
• 1/2 c light or heavy cream
• 2 Tbs unsalted butter

2. Defrost and peel the shrimp. Peel, trim, and finely chop the garlic. Chiffonade the basil (see tip below). Grate the orange (see tip below).

3. When the pasta water comes to a boil, add the linguini and cook it until al dente (done but still firm to the tooth). Drain and set aside.

4. Meanwhile, in a skillet large enough to hold the pasta as well as the sauce, saute the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat. After about a minute, when the garlic has become fragrant, add the shrimp, basil, and orange zest. Cook until the shrimp turns completely opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

5. Increasing the heat to high, deglaze the skillet with the vermouth, chicken broth, and lemon juice (see tip below). Continue cooking until the liquid has reduced by one-third, about 5-7 minutes.

6. Decreasing the heat to medium-low, add the cream and simmer for another two minutes as the sauce thickens. Add the butter. Once it has melted, add the shrimp mixture and toss. Then add the pasta and continue tossing until everything is pleasantly warm and well coated with sauce.

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Tips

* To chiffonade the basil, roll several leaves together as one would a cigar. Slice this cylinder into thin cross-sections about an eighth of an inch wide. The results strips are the chiffonade.

* To obtain the fine pieces of orange zest that you need for this recipe, you could use a zester or a vegetable peeler to remove the peel in strips and then chop those strips. But I find that the easiest way to zest an orange is to use a Microplane grater. A scraping motion makes quick work of this task. (Remember that you want only the thin orange surface of the peel, not the white pith underneath; also remember that the deeper an orange's color, the more flavorful its zest.)

* The purpose of using a solvent like alcohol to deglaze a pot is to incorporate the fantastic caramelized flavors residing in all those browned bits stuck to the bottom. That's why, when you're deglazing, you should scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to help the alcohol do its job.

* This dish is a fabulous leftover, reheated in a covered nonstick skillet with a little more stock and/or cream.

If you have tried one of these recipes and have an improvement or tip or variation to suggest, please e-mail David at dinner@wamc.org. Also feel free to send along your own family cuisine recipes. You can even request dishes that you'd like David to present in the future.