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Monday, May 4, 2015

Favorite Celebrity Chef SundaySupper Featuring Emerils Shrimp Penne in Pesto Cream Sauce

Happy December, everyone! The theme for this weeks #SundaySupper is Favorite Celebrity Chef, hosted by Tammi from Mommas Meals. I was so excited to take part this week, but it was really hard for me to pick one favorite chef to feature a recipe from. I adore so many chefs: Julia Child, Ina Garten, Tyler Florence, and Nigella Lawson...just to name a few. However, the one chef who most inspires me in my cooking is Emeril Lagasse: he has a big-flavor approach to cooking that I can really relate to, and I love how his passion for food and cooking shows through in his television appearance and cookbooks! Once I had my chef, it was time to pick a recipe.

I happened to have a pound of lovely jumbo shrimp and some of my favorite pesto from the local farmers market, so I knew I had found what I was looking for when I came across a recipe for Emerils Shrimp with Linguine in a Pesto Cream Sauce. I made a few small tweaks, but stayed pretty true to the original recipe. I decided to use a high-fiber penne pasta in place of the linguine, and I used half-and-half in place of heavy cream. The only addition I made was a bit of chopped sun-dried tomato...for a bit of extra color, flavor and texture. This dish was pretty quick to make. While the pasta water boiled, I peeled the shrimp...and I made the sauce while the pasta cooked. 


 Shrimp Penne in Pesto Cream Sauce
adapted from Emeril Lagasse
Step 1: Bring a pot of salted water to boil. While the water comes to a boil, peel and devein 1 lb. of jumbo shrimp. Place the shrimp in a small bowl, and add 1 tbs. Emerils Essence. Toss to evenly coat the shrimp with the spices, and set aside. When the water comes to a boil, add 8 ounces of penne and cook until al dente -- 10-12 minutes. While the penne cooks, make the sauce. Add 1 tbs. butter and 1 tbs. olive oil to a non-stick pan over med-high heat. Add the shrimp and sear for 2 minute per side.


Step 2: Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, until they are lightly caramelized. Add 3 grated garlic cloves and cook until fragrant -- about 30 seconds. Add 3/4 cup half-and-half, 1/3 cup of your favorite pesto, an additional tablespoon of Essence, and salt to taste. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Boil until the sauce is reduced and thickened -- about 2 minutes.


Step 3: Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Turn the heat on the sauce to med-low. Add the pasta, 1/2 cup reserved cooking water, 1 tbs. finely chopped parsley, and 1/4 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes to the sauce. Toss with tongs to thoroughly coat the pasta with the sauce and let cook in the warm pan for 3-5 minutes. Place the penne on a serving platter and arrange the shrimp on top. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan just before serving.


This pasta is fabulous: the sauce is creamy, with a nice spicy kick from the Essence. The pesto provides a nutty-basil background flavor, and the sweet jumbo shrimp cuts through the richness of the sauce. This recipe is simple enough to make on a weeknight, but its special enough to serve dinner guests. I tossed together a quick salad and heated up some store-bought garlic bread to serve on the side...and dinner was on the table in about 45 minutes.

Make sure to join us tonight at 600 CST for a Twitter chat to discuss our favorite celebrity chefs. In the meantime, make sure to go visit my fellow #SundaySupper food bloggers...you wont believe the wide variety of recipes theyre sharing today!

Starters or Snacks :
  • Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog - Oyster and Brie Soup and Wine Pairings for Celebrity Chef
  • Linda at The Urban Mrs. - Inspired by Bobby Flay, Lobster Chowder with Roasted Corn Salsa
  • Erin from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts - Rachael Ray’s Cinnamon Popcorn
  • Cindy over at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings - Jamie Oliver’s Bread and Tomato Soup
  • Jeff at The Catholic Foodie - Drop Biscuits – Breakfast with Chef John Besh
  • Renee over at Kudos Kitchen By Renee - Giada De Laurentiis’ Garlic Toasts With Red Pepper Aioli
The Main Dish:
  • Sheila at Cooking Underwriter – Paula Deen’s  Chicken in a Crock Pot w/ Sauerkraut and Apples
  • Laura over at Small Wallet Big Appetite – Martin Yan’s Beef Chow Fun
  • Claire at The Realistic Nutritionist – Alton Brown’s 40 Cloves and a Chicken
  • Sarah over at Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends - Michael Symon’s Lola burger with crab tater tots
  • Susan at The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen - Ina Garten’s Baked Shrimp Scampi
  • Katy over at Happy Baking Days - Mary Berry’s Treacle Tart
  • Tammi at Momma’s Meals – Lee Drummond’s Sloppy Joe’s
  • Lane over at Supper for a Steal - Bobby Flay’s Rosemary Bricked Chicken
  • Tara from Noshing with the Nolands - Michael Symon’s Pork and Apple Scallopini
  • Shannon at Country Girl in the Village – Simple Red Sauce over Rigatoni. Inspired by,  Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos
  • Kris over at In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene - Rachael Ray’s Muffin Tin Meatloaf
  • Nicole from The Daily Dish Recipes - Paula Deen’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pickled Pork Sandwiches
  • Becca from It’s Yummilicious - Ina Garten’s Grown Up Mac & Cheese
  • Alice at  Hip Foodie Mom - Sunday Pot Roast with Risotto Cakes from Kelsey Nixon
  • Jen over at  Juanita’s Cocina - The Neely’s White Turkey Chili
  • Brianne from Cupcakes & Kale Chips - Crockpot Beef Pot Roast with Mushrooms inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis
  • Isabel at Family Foodie - Polenta with Garlicky Shrimp inspired by Chef Todd English
  • Wendy from The Weekend Gourmet - Shrimp Penne in Pesto Cream Sauce, From Emeril Lagasse
  • Bobbi over at Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen - Cheesy Poblano Chicken
  • Patti at Comfy Cuisine - Tyler Florence’s Chicken Francese
  • Chris from Sustainable Dad - Pork Tenderloin with Jerusalem Artichokes and Negroni Vinaigrette
  • Roxanne over at The Roxx Box - Jambalaya Pasta with Penne, Chicken, Shrimp and Andouille
  • Sue from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz – Rachael Ray’s Spicy Corn Chowdah Mac ‘n’ Cheese
  • Jamie at Mama Mommy Mom - Penne with Asparagus, Smoked Gouda and Prosciutto. Adapted from, Giada De Laurentiis’
  • Tora over at Tora’s Real Food – Pork and beans with Alton Brown’s Pickled Pork
Amazing Sides:
  • Elizabeth over at The Hand That Rocks The Ladle - Emeril’s New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice
  • Megan from I Run For Wine - Curtis Stone’s Acorn Squash Roasted with Thyme
  • Sandi over at Midlife Road Trip -  Gabriele Corcos’s Gnocchi di Patate
  • Shelby at  Diabetic Foodie - Orange Pecan Black Rice, adapted from Ina Garten
  • Katie from She likes Ruffles, He likes Truffles - Chef Fabio Viviani’s Spinach and Artichoke Risotto
Sweet Endings:
  • Kim over at Cravings of a Lunatic - Chocolate Cream Puffs with Hazelnut Filling
  • Renee over at Magnolia Days – Brownie Tart
  • Connie at The Foodie Army Wife - Inspired by Ree Drummond – Scrumptious Apple Coffee Cake
  • Paula over at Vintage Kitchen Notes - Bill Granger´s Cherry Tart
  • Pam from The Meltaways – Savannah Sheet Cake
  • Amber at Mama’s Blissful Bites - Huggy Buggy Bread Pudding
  • Jaime over at Mom’s Test Kitchen - Southern Tea Cakes
  • Amy over at Kimchi MOM - Crack Pie, I Can’t Quit You
  • Lyn from The Lovely Pantry - Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Squares
  • Melanie at From Fast Food to Fresh Food – Sand TartsWine Pairings: 
  • Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog 



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