From
A Past Edition OfThe New Orleans Menu Daily
By Tom Fitzmorris
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Creole-Italian Stuffed Peppers With Shrimp And Pasta
A new approach to stuffed bell peppers, this is an unusual new-Creole style shrimp dish, with flavors coming from all directions and uniting with the shrimp. Although the recipe may seem a little complicated, it's not difficult to follow.
Stuffing:
6 medium red bell peppers
1/4 cup olive oil
3 lbs. large shrimp (16-20 count)
2 Tbs. chopped garlic
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
Generous pinch black pepper
1 lb. penne pasta, cooked al dente
Sauce:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh fennel or celery
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pint whipping cream
1/2 tsp. salt
4 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, sliced into matchstick-size pieces
3 oz. prosciutto, sliced into matchstick-size pieces
6 medium red bell peppers
1/4 cup olive oil
3 lbs. large shrimp (16-20 count)
2 Tbs. chopped garlic
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
Generous pinch black pepper
1 lb. penne pasta, cooked al dente
Sauce:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh fennel or celery
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pint whipping cream
1/2 tsp. salt
4 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, sliced into matchstick-size pieces
3 oz. prosciutto, sliced into matchstick-size pieces
1. Heat the broiler and put the peppers close to the heat until they blacken and blister. Turn them over until the outside is at least 75 percent black. Let them cool enough to handle, then peel off the skin (it will come off easily). Cut a hole in the top of the peppers and lift out the stem, seeds, and membrane. Try to keep from tearing the pepper. Wash in cold water.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the shrimp until pink throughout, but leave them just barely cooked. Remove them from the pan, and set aside about half of the shrimp (the nicest-looking ones). Those will go into the sauce; the rest will go into the stuffing. Chop the stuffing shrimp coarsely--about the size of peas.
3. In the same skillet, saute the garlic, onion, and celery until soft. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chopped shrimp and 1/4 cup of water or shrimp stock. Bring to a boil and stir for a couple of minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rest of the stuffing ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Carefully fill the peppers with the stuffing. Try not to tear the peppers. Place the stuffed peppers, open side up, on an oiled baking pan and into the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
6. While they're in there, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute the green onions and fennel or celery until soft. Add the red pepper flakes and wine and cook for about three minutes. Whisk in the cream and bring it to a boil over medium heat until reduced by about half--five or six minutes. Add salt to taste.
6. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, the prosciutto, and those nice-looking shrimp you reserved earlier. Heat through. Add the cooked, drained pasta to the pan and toss with the sauce.
7. Serve the pasta alongside the peppers . Garnish with fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Serves six.
Click here for an index of recipes from past editions.
© 2007 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com