summer fresh pasta

After driving by literally hundreds of farms and thousands of acres of corn fields in Minnesota and Wisconsin, during our vacation to the North Woods, I’ve had corn on my mind.  I took dozens of photos of as many of the charming farms and barns as I could, as we sped by in our rental car.  We even came upon a flock of wild turkey on the side of the road.  I made Dave turn the car around so I could get a picture.  They took flight just as I clicked the shutter.  That, and more barn pictures are at the end of this post.

The first meal I made when we returned home was this pasta with shrimp and fresh corn off the cob.

Even though the pasta is in a cream sauce, it is still lite and perfect for a summer supper. Instead of clam juice, I used some lobster stock I had in the freezer (the continuation of my perpetual freezer clean-out!), and wow, did it make a delicious sauce! And that is the reason my sauce is a little darker than yours will be if you use clam juice.

Creamy Pasta with Shrimp and Corn

1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup peeled and diced onion
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ears corn, corn kernels cut from the cobs
1  1/3 cups clam juice or fish stock
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup freshly grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chiffonade of fresh basil leaves

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes; add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent, then add the corn and clam juice and bring to a boil.

Continue to boil until the sauce is reduced by about half.  Add the shrimp, red pepper flakes, and cream and cook until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and Parmesan. Remove from heat and stir in the cooked spaghetti. Toss together until all ingredients are coated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the basil and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

Wild turkeys take flight.  Some of the barn photos are a little blurry… please forgive and keep in mind that they were taken out the window of a moving car.

Finally… it would have been tempting to check out Connorsville, Wisconsin if only it wasn’t in the opposite direction and we hadn’t been on our way to the airport and our plane back home. If it is anything like my Connor; it is charming, handsome, and easy-going!