FAQ

Two of the most “frequently asked questions” I get when I’m entertaining or teaching a cooking class, “Do you eat like this every night!?”… and… “What kind of things do you make for weeknight dinners?”  The answers: “No, I only eat like this when I’m entertaining or teaching a class.” and “The sort of things I make for weeknight dinners are dishes that come together without having to make a special trip to the grocery store!”

This pasta is exactly that sort of dish. If you were to drop by my house and look in my fridge, you’d always find things like fresh spinach, romaine or mixed greens, basil, citrus, and bell peppers. And my freezer is never without IQF (individually quick frozen) shrimp, scallops, and chicken breasts. The pantry is stocked to the brim; a variety of pasta, jars of olives, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and the list goes on. When your kitchen is stocked in this way, the possibilities are endless and you’re always able to make a meal without the trip to the store.

I know exactly what you’re saying to yourself now…”Sure, the possibilities are endless… for you, because you can just ‘make up a recipe’ without a cookbook.” And that is true, but I’m going to turn you on to a website where you can just plug in one of the ten ingredients you have on hand, and magically dozens of recipes will appear so that you can make with what you have!  In fact, I went there and put in all the ingredients from this pasta recipe and it came up with 88 different recipes for me!  Sounds awesome, doesn’t it!?! CLICK HERE for that link. Next, be ready to cook that way, by going to my Basic Pantry  (just CLICK HERE) and stock up, so you can create something new “at the drop of a dime” too.

P.S. This pasta is a great vegetarian dish, just leave out the shrimp!

P.S.S. The live TV shoot yesterday went swimmingly, if you would like to view it, go to the “In The News” page up at the top-left of this page and choose the Valley Dish – Ravioli Lasagna post.

Shrimp and Spinach Linguine with Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup julienned (matchstick-size) fresh spinach leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, well-drained
1 cup chopped oil-packed artichoke hearts, well-drained
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup white wine (may substitute chicken broth or clam juice)

1 pound linguine
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil leaves, garnish

Heat a heavy large skillet over medium heat and add oil. Add the onion and garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and dried red pepper and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, artichoke, lemon juice, and wine; simmer until sauce thickens slightly about 10 to 12 minutes.

Cook linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, about  6 to 7 minutes Drain.

While the pasta is cooking; and the sauce is simmering. Stir shrimp into sauce and simmer until just cooked through about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer to four flat bowls. Sprinkle each with Parmesan and garnish with fresh basil.

Serves 4