Tony’s fettuccine with asparagus spears and shrimps. (Photo: Tony Jackman) This is a recipe from a few weeks back that I’ve been storing up to publish around my 71st birthday. But soon, an invigorated heart will be able to handle the butter in this delicious pasta dish, which also – best I admit it – has cream in it, so that’s another reason it’s not the best choice for some of us. If your heart is in fine fettle, plan to make this one soon.
The shrimps I used were a packet of frozen “prawn meat”. The shrimps are blanched before freezing so can be put straight into your sauce when preparing this dish.
It’s a quick and easy recipe, and the one ingredient in it that I may take a bite or two of ahead of this week’s medical adventure is those lovely crisp asparagus spears. To health!
Tony’s fettuccine with fresh asparagus and shrimps
(Serves 3-4)
Ingredients
Half a standard packet of fettuccine
3 Tbsp butter to cook the garlic, another 3 for the asparagus, and yes, another 3 for finishing the pasta sauce
1 or 2 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely chopped
100 ml dry white wine
100 ml fresh cream
12 fresh green asparagus spears
200g frozen prawn meat, aka shrimps
Salt and white pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan to serve
Method
Defrost the shrimps, then put them in a colander to drain thoroughly. Pat them dry too, to be sure they’re as dry as possible.
Bring a pot of plenty of water to a rapid boil and salt it lightly.
Blanch the asparagus spears in briskly boiling water for a minute, then drain in a colander and run iced water through. Drain well.
In a medium pot, melt 3 Tbsp butter on a low heat, add the garlic and simmer very gently for about 2 minutes, but don’t allow the garlic to colour.
Add the drained, dried shrimps and simmer until most of the liquid has disappeared.
Add the wine, turn up the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add the cream, season with salt and white pepper, and continue to cook until the sauce emulsifies.
Keep it warm while you cook the pasta.
Toss the drained, blanched asparagus spears in 3 Tbsp butter in a hot pan.
Plunge the pasta into the boiling water, move it around with a spatula to separate the strands, and boil until al dente. Transfer to a colander immediately and drain.
Add 3 more Tbsp butter to the same pot and, once it has melted, add the pasta back and toss to coat.
Plate up the buttered pasta, pile the sauce on top, and drape with asparagus spears.
Finish with grated Parmesan. DM
Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the Year award.
Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks.