MMMMM....I have a craving for my delicious Cajun Pasta. Bowtie pasta tossed with cajun seasonings, blackened shrimp, bell peppers, cream and andouille sausage sounds like a delicious plan for your evening, too! Here are a few items going into my dish tonight. #sonomnom4u #cajunpasta
I will serve it with fresh baked french bread. NOMNOM! #sonomnom4u #cajunpasta
Cajun Pasta
12 oz dry bowtie pasta
12 oz raw shrimp, peeled/tailed and deveined
4 TBSP (no salt) cajun Seasoning blend
olive oil
12 oz andouille sausage, Sliced and cut in half again
2 shallots, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 TBSP Cajun Seasoning
1 TBSP brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 TBSP Tabasco
2 tsp worcestershire sauce (Lea and Perrins Rocks!)
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup flat italian parsley, chopped
NOTE: If you want it less hot, don't blacken the shrimp and OMIT the 4 TBSP Cajun seasoning. Only use 2 TBS cajun seasoning in the sauce for less hot pasta.
Boil Noodles:
Fill a large pot of water, add 3 TBSP salt and 2 TBSP olive oil. Bring water to a boil and add 12 oz. Bowtie pasta. Boil pasta 12-14 minutes. 12 minutes for a more al dente pasta. Drain pasta (keep 3 TBSP pasta water and set it aside.) and return pasta to the pot it boiled in and toss boiled pasta with a drizzle of olive oil and set aside.
Blacken Shrimp (For a super-hot finish) Otherwise skip this step and just saute shrimp without seasonings. :
Heat an iron skillet.
Pour peeled/de-tailed/deveined shrimp into a medium bowl.
Using tongs, place all the shrimp into a zipper bag.
Add 4 TBSP cajun seasoning to the shrimp in the bag and shake to coat them all.
remove shrimp one at a time with the tongs and place them into the hot iron skillet. flip them all over after a minute and cook them on the other side for another minute or 2--shrimp should be coated and with seasoning and pink underneath. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
Andouille:
With iron skillet still hot, add olive oil and heat more. Add sliced andouille. Cook andouille until it is browned and carmelized. Remove from skillet using tongs or a large spoon.
The other stuff:
With pan still hot and coated from the andouille carmelization, turn stove to medium heat. Add more olive oil to the skillet and add the shallot, garlic, and red bell pepper and cook about 3 minutes.
Add thyme, smoked paprika, 2 TBSP cajun seasoning, brown sugar, chicken broth, Tabasco, and worcestershire. Bring to a boil and stir to remove any seasoning clumps that may have occured. Stirring also helps get the good stuff off the pan from the browned andouille. Stir in cream. Boil for about 10-12 additional minutes--until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Add Andouille and pasta water you saved earlier and stir.
Final steps:
Pasta should be in the pot you boiled pasta in, drained of all water and tossed in olive oil.
Pour the sauce and andouille mixture over the pasta that is in the pot. Toss to coat.
Toss in blackened shrimp, and toss again to coat.
Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsely and serve hot with fresh baked french bread and a side of steamed asparagus or Country Salad!
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