Good Food from Friends: Shrimp with Green Sauce and Zucchini Ribbons

Perhaps this will bit me in the butt later in life, but no matter what the issues with cholesterol, I love shrimp.  I'll eat shrimp any way I can and I'll be happy to cook it.  One of my favorite ladies at my local butcher taught me the easiest way to clean and shell shrimp.  Once I learned how easy it was (essentially take kitchen shears or scissors and snip right up the back of the shrimp; this allows the shell to peel off easily AND cleans out the vein), I was on my way to become a shrimp-cooking fiend.  Shrimp is so easy and it's very versatile.  Yes, I could go on and on like our good friend Benjamin Beauford Blue, or "Bubba", and tell you all the ways you can cook and eat shrimp, but I think I'll move on while I'm ahead.

Charisse, a friend of mine from high school kept in touch with one our close friends, Nicole.  Nicole was the one who introduced me to Charisse and her husband's food blog, foodies @ home.  I thought it was a great blog.  I had just started getting into reading cooking and food blogs and I liked their style.  I also liked the dishes they were making.  I say "we" because they both switch off cooking and writing.  Plus, their photos are great and make their dishes even that much more mouth-watering.  After following them for a few weeks, I decided to try out one of their dishes:  Shrimp with Green Sauce and Zucchini Ribbons.

Like Charisse, I love zucchini.  My mom used to prepare zucchini in the most simplest of ways:  broiled in the oven with Parmesan cheese, pepper and olive oil, and, of course, she used them in frittatas.  I am always up for trying new ways of cooking old favorites and this dish seemed right up our alley.  The recipe was really easy to follow and the end result was delicious.  It was fresh and flavorful and, for a pasta dish, was not too filling at all.  We really enjoyed it here and I'm looking forward to what else Charisse and her husband keep cooking up!








Shrimp with Green Sauce and Zucchini Ribbons
Serves 4-6

18 Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
5 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Tbs Brandy
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
1 Cup Fresh Parsley, minced
Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
6 Tbs Olive Oil
4 Zucchini, sliced with a peeler to create ribbons
1 lemon
1 lb Angel Hair Pasta, cooked al dente

In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbs olive oil and cook the garlic for about 1 minute.  Add the brandy and swirl in pan until the alcohol cooks off.  Add the wine and about 1/4 cup water and cook for about 3 minutes until the liquid reduces a bit.  Stir in parsley and salt and pepper, let cool a bit and using a blender or food processor, blend with 2 Tbs olive oil until smooth.  Set aside.

In the same skillet, cook your shrimp in the remaining 2 Tbs olive oil just until the shrimp turn pink.  Add the green sauce back to the pan and warm through.  

In another skillet, heat a bit of olive oil and saute the zucchini ribbons just until softened a little, you will still want them to have a crunch.  Add 1/2 lemon juiced and cook.  

Serve the angel hair pasta topped with zucchini ribbons and the shrimp with green sauce on top.  Finish with the rest of the lemon squeezed over top. 

foodies @ home, Shrimp with Green Sauce and Zucchini Ribbons, May 2010.


bon appetit!