BigWillie's Shrimp-n-Sausage cream pasta (picture heavy)

[BigWillie]

BigWille's Sausage and Shrimp Cream Pasta
I'm still on Plan A for TNT, so I can't have it, but I am looking forward to it in the future when I get to carb reload days!

The amounts are rough guesstimates since I just eyeball it:

Ingredients:

sausages



I'll use chorizo or linguica, but I have even used deer and elk sausages.

I actually prefer them, if I can get my hands on them from my hunting friends. Very natural, no additives at all.
I have used organic chicken andouille from Aidell's as well as regular old bratwurst, too.


garlic



While I prefer fresh, I used the pre-chopped kind in water.

red onion


crushed red pepper


I have a lot of this that the local pizza joint gives away when they deliver.

mushrooms

Fresh, regular button mushrooms. I'll quarter them (as you'll see) but you could just slice them or buy the pre-sliced kind.

sweet peas

Fresh, if in season, if not, frozen with no-salt added.
I have substituted red, green and yellow bell peppers and well as green beans in the past, sometimes mixing them.

butter

large shrimp, peeled and de-veined and 1 beer


I live pretty far from the ocean. I'm not sure I trust "fresh" seafood this far inland.

As in this case, I'll often use the frozen, wild-caught, pre-cooked, de-veined cocktail shrimp, and just let them marinate in the beer.
If I choose to use fresh, I'll sautee' them in another pan with the beer and some butter first.

I like dark beer. It seems to me to have better flavor.

oregano and basil

I'm lazy, so I'll use a oregano and basil blend.

heavy whipping cream

Organic, of course.

pasta
I really love this recipe with fresh, hand-made organic three cheese tortellini, but the store was out, so I used what I had in the cupboard, which was plain old penne.


Directions:

Start a pot of water for your pasta and heat the olive oil over medium heat in a deep pan....


Throw in the crushed garlic, the chopped red onion and let that cook for a bit, maybe 3 minutes, then add the sausage for a bit.



Put your pasta in the boiling water at some point here (according to the time directions on the package)....


When the sausage is brownish and warm, take them out and slice them, then put back in and let that cook for a spell, maybe 6 minutes.


Now add the mushrooms (sliced or quartered), some basil and oregano and some butter.....

(Remember to be sure to give the dried basil and oregano a extra "crush" in the palm of your hand to help bring out the oils and enhance the flavor!)



and let that cook until the mushrooms are tender....


Now add the sweet peas (or some sliced green bell peppers, or some fresh green beans or whatever) and let that cook until the sausage is done and the green peas (or peppers) are tender.


Next, add a pinch of the crushed red pepper...




Let that continue to cook another minute and add a splash of the beer and the shrimp...


Next, throw in some more basil and oregano....let that cook for a bit but not so long as the shrimp get too hard...



...then add a big splash of heavy cream...


You'll want to use enough to coat the pasta, with a little extra on the bottom for wiping up with your bread as an after dinner treat, but not so much as to make it too soupy. Bring to slight simmer.....

...and serve over your pasta....



Don't forget the fresh grated Parmesan.

I find this recipe has a great combination of flavors and I like the "surf-n-turf" aspect of mixing sausage and shrimp, as well as a good combination fat, protein and carb.