Pasta with Asparagus & Shrimp
Submitted by roxy_15420
Linguine with asparagus, jumbo shrimp, and bacon in a white wine cream sauce. Shell-on shrimp are seared, then simmered in wine to build a rich, layered sauce from scratch.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
20 minREADY
50 minThis shrimp and asparagus linguine builds its sauce in stages, and that’s where the flavor comes from. You start by rendering bacon until half-crisp, then reduce heavy cream in the same pan so it picks up all that smoky, porky fond left behind.
The shrimp get seared shell-on, which matters. Those shells protect the meat from overcooking and release extra flavor into the pan. Once they’re peeled and returned, a full cup of white wine simmers down to a concentrated quarter cup of liquid that becomes the backbone of the sauce. When you combine that wine reduction with the bacon cream, you get something silky and deeply savory without a single complicated ingredient.
Blanch the asparagus separately and shock it in cold water. This keeps it bright green and snappy instead of army-green and mushy. Everything comes together at the end: toss the buttered linguine with the cream sauce, scatter the asparagus and chives on top, and get it to the table while the sauce is still glossy.
Kitchen Tips
- Sear shrimp in a single layer without crowding the pan. Overcrowding steams them instead of giving you that pink, slightly caramelized exterior.
- Reduce the wine on low heat. High heat burns off the subtle flavors and leaves harsh acidity.
- Peel the asparagus stalks if they’re thick. A vegetable peeler run along the bottom two-thirds removes the woody outer layer.
Variations
- Swap the linguine for penne or rigatoni if you want the cream sauce to pool inside the pasta.
- Use pancetta instead of bacon for a more Italian-leaning flavor.
- Add a handful of halved cherry tomatoes with the asparagus for a pop of acidity.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook bacon until half crispy.
Set aside and drain the fat out of pan.
Add cream and cook over meduim high heat until it’s reduced by half.
Add bacon.
When done, set pan aside.
In a frypan, use enough oil to cover the surface.
Heat until a few drops start to spit.
Add Shrimp and cook until shells turn pink and shrimp just begin to lose their transparency.
Turn once and remove to plate to cool.
Peel off shrimp shells.
Place shrimp back in pan, add the wine and cook on low heat; simmer.
Simmer until there is just ¼ cup of liquid remaining.
Add the cream and set aside.
Peel asparagus and cut into ½ inch size pieces.
Steam or blanch until tender.
Drain and rinse with very cold water and wrap in towel to dry.
In a large pot bring water to boil and add pasta and a dash of salt and oil.
Cook until done or to your taste.
Drain and toss in a little butter.
Reheat cream with shrimp.
Add the asparagus.
Season to taste.
Mix pasta and sauce together.
Sprinkle with chives and serve with warm crusty bread.
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