Cooking Corner: Shrimp Linguine with Vodka Sauce

OK y'all, I am SUPER proud of this one. Like, ridiculously proud! The inspiration for week three was alcohol. My mom has been in love with pink/vodka sauces since she first tried it recently (it's not a common sauce in Idaho for some reason). Therefore, I knew the minute I saw the word alcohol that it was what I was going to do. While vodka sauce also goes well with chicken, I feel its calling is seafood, so I decided to make some jumbo shrimp with it.

Now, the only problem with this recipe is I decided to go all "real cook" and not use measurements. It's fine though because I can give you approximations. I started by peeling and deveining the shrimp - like a legit person! It's super easy, especially when your shrimp are as jumbo as mine were! Peel off all the shell above the tail. Slice that nekkid shrimp down the back and use a toothpick to pull out the poopshoot and any veins you can find.

Next, melt four tablespoons of butter in a flat, high pan.  Like, a sauce pan, not a sauce pot.. if that makes sense. --AS IT MELTS, GET YOUR POT OF WATER BOILING AND YOUR PASTA MEASURED OUT -- Add a can of crushed tomatoes and a little can of tomato paste when it's melted and stir it together. Take this chance to flavor your sauce! I used basil, oregano, tarragon, and garlic powder, GENEROUSLY, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Remember, start small and add more - stir and taste!  When you've gotten your general tomato sauce tasting good, throw in somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 cups of vodka (or glug it til it looks good, remember start small and add more). Mix that in. At this point, I threw my shrimp in the sauce. Cover and let boil/simmer. As the vodka cooks out, the shrimp will cook up.  --AT THIS POINT YOUR WATER SHOULD BE BOILING, THROW IN YOUR PASTA!--

When your shrimp is beginning to pink and your sauce tastes less boozy, throw in 1/2 cup to a full cup of heavy cream. I kinda swirled til it looked pretty. Lower the heat a smidgen, stir it til the heavy cream is thoroughly mixed in, and COVER because it will get messy.  Your sauce will begin to thicken. --KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR PASTA, IT'S GETTING CLOSE TO DONE NOW!!--  When your shrimp are done and your sauce has thickened a bit, add about one to two handfuls of shredded parmesan, because it's not unhealthy enough! Stir it in til it's melted.  Drain your pasta, dish out your shrimp, cover with the sauce, and eat up!! I did my best with plating, but I kinda screwed up the nesting that I had intended.. but look how the shrimp almost stand up!!

My dear mother was licking her plate - proof that I succeeded! I may have ruined restaurant pink sauce for her - and it's SO MUCH CHEAPER than eating out. I think this ended up yielding around 4 servings. We ate two and have frozen about half of it.

Cooking Corner: Cocount Shrimp with Pina Colada Sauce

I really love cooking.  Hell, I didn't get to my current waist size by hating food!  However, in college I got sick of fast food and decided to start cooking my own, so I would always know what went in it. It can be much healthier and I can count calories better.   And this is how I developed my absolute passion for cooking. It is only stronger now that I live with my mom and have someone else to eat my food. I LOVE cooking for other people.  It also helps that she will help with cleaning.

However, I only started cooking a few years ago, and I couldn't pull any recipes from my mom because they were all casseroles. The only spices she knew were salt and pepper.  Really, her eating habits have changed a bunch since we moved in together as well.  People always ask my favorite dish, or best dish or whatever.  This is when I realized my recipe base was rather slim.  So, I have decided to cook one new recipe each week.  If it sucks, I buy pizza.  If it doesn't suck, I add it to my arsenal.  I now have a list of 20+ recipes on the fridge, one new each week, and mom chooses which one we're doing each week.  Thus begins my new series, the Cooking Corner!

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a professional chef. I got all of my recipes off of the internet or from cookbooks.  I have never been to culinary school and I don't have a fancy kitchen. Essentially, if I can do it, so  can you!  You can make GOURMET foods in your home for MUCH cheaper than a restaurant!

This week was the beginning, and it was Coconut Shrimp with Pina Colada Sauce.  Seriously!  We got half a pound of peeled, cleaned shrimp from our local grocer for around $5.  This and a can of crushed pineapple were the only ingredients that was completely exhausted tonight, so we have left over ingredients for next time of: powdered sugar, sweetened coconut flakes, corn starch, spiced rum, pina colada mix, and bread crumbs.  This recipe was compliments of the food and cooking app on my Windows 8 computer.

First I made the sauce.  Ingredients are

• 1 cup pina colada mix
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 TBL Crushed Pineapple (drained)
• 1 TBL Sweetened Coconut Flakes
• 3 TBL Powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp Corn Starch 
• 3 tsp cold water

Combine all the ingredients until the corn starch in a small pot.  Put on medium low heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently. Then  add the corn starch/cold water mixture, stirring during and after, and let it continue simmering for 3-5 minutes. I then set it aside, as it needs to be served at room temperature.

Finished Sauce

Next it was the shrimp!  First, butterfly the shrimp so that they cook through. For the breading, I got three bowls ready. The first contained 1/2 cup corn starch. The second contained 1 cup plain bread crumbs, 1/4 cup corn starch, and 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes, mixed real well.  The final (which I put in the middle of the other two) was 1/2 cup pina colada mix, 1 TBL powdered sugar, and 3 TBL Spiced Rum.  The dipping process went Corn Starch, Pina Colada, Bread Crumbs, Pina Colada, Bread Crumbs.  This essentially gave it a double breading. Then, into the pot it went!

The Shrimp in the Pot

Now, the recipe said to wait til the oil was at 375. I have no way of measuring this, so I got my fingers wet and threw the water into the oil. If it sizzled, it was hot enough.  Then I did the shrimp, 3 at a time.  I purchased a coolio metal straining spoon thingy (technical terms here) at the grocery store for $8 with this meal in mind. It's probably my new favorite spoon. And for the record, this was the first time I have EVER friend ANYTHING, I felt so ridiculously awesome!  Seriously cheffing it up.  Keep them in until they're golden brown, then put them on a plate with paper towels down until they're dry.

Check out that beautiful golden brown pile

Now, a 1/2 pound of shrimp doesn't seem like much, until you're done breading them and stuff.  This was a LOT.  Mom and I both ate our fill.  For an appetizer they'd easily feed 4-6. 

Unless you're feeding a bunch, don't be stupid and add pasta like we did

Tada! Food! On a plate! And now in my stomach. It was SO good. I love when I cook food and the entire meal my mom is "Mmm"ing throughout the meal.  It feels AWESOME.  Additionally, she had to talk about how gourmet this meal was. Please note, this will make a MESS with all the pots and pans and such. 

Next week's meal? Chicken and Goat's Cheese Pinwheels with Tomato Butter Sauce. And remember, I'm 24 and a grad student in music, NOT culinarily trained. Any questions, tips, or suggestions?! LEAVE A COMMENT! And PLEASE follow my blog.  If you check out the side bar, there's a fancy new facebook link where you can like my page!