Shrimp Aglio Olio Spaghetti

To be honest, I have a very conservative tongue. Despite being adventurous in the kitchen sometimes trying out new recipe (sometimes!) most of the times you see the same dishes over and over again, I am downright conservative in a lot of ways. Susah nak mencuba sesuatu rasa yang baru kalau dah hooked with one flavour or dishes tu selagi tak jemu selagi itulah saya tak bertukar ke rasa baru termasuklah variasi pasta - makanan kegemaran kami anak beranak.

That's the reason why saya selalu teruja dan bernafsu tengok pelbagai menu or serving style for pasta but most of the time akan end up ordering the same dishes - bolognese... bolognese... bolognese dan sesekali creamy carbonara. Takut nak mencuba sesuatu yang baru in case tak menepati selera kan rugi. Pasal tu walau dah berkali-kali terasa nak cuba spaghetti aglio olio kat manhanttan fish market tapi tak pernah order sehinggalah awal bulan baru-baru ini. And I'm glad I finally come around to ordering it because the menu turns out a yumm! Ataupun the one served kat sana yang menepati selera saya yang kat tempat lain tak tahulah lagi kan?

Well, my experience at manhattan fish market prompts me to try out this recipe at home. Spicy Shrimp and Aglio Olio Spaghetti by Rachel Ray. Saya suka recipe ini sebab nampak ada flavour di situ dari penggunaan chili flake, coriander leaves yang saya guna untuk ganti parsley dan anchovies. Other recipes nampak agak bland in comparison.

My aglio olio. Saya suka guna spaghetti no.3 yang lebih halus macam lidi but tak sehalus angel hair pasta. My maid dah overcooked the spaghetti pasal tu nampak meliuk lentuk bebenar. Ok come let's give this recipe a try.


Spicy Shrimp Aglio Olio Spaghetti (courtesy of Rachel Ray via foodnetwork.com)
Ingredients
Spicy Shrimp:
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (a couple of handfuls)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
Coarse salt, about 1 teaspoon
2 tablespoons (a couple of generous drizzles) extra-virgin olive oil
Aglio Olio:
1/4 cup (4 turns around the pan in a light stream) extra-virgin olive oil
1 (2-ounce) tin anchovy fillets
6 to 8 large cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley, a couple of handfuls
Coarse salt
1 pound spaghetti, cooked to al dente
Directions
Combine shrimp with next 6 ingredients and toss to coat shrimp evenly.

Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium high heat, then add half of the shrimp. Cook shrimp 3 minutes until pink and just firm. Remove shrimp to a warm platter and repeat process with remaining shrimp.

Return pan to heat and reduce heat to medium low. Add 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Add anchovies, garlic, and pepper flakes to oil. Break up anchovies with a wooden spoon until they melt away into the oil and garlic mixture.

Toss spaghetti in the pan with parsley and the garlic oil, then season with a little coarse salt, to your taste. Top servings of garlic and oil spaghetti with spicy shrimp.

Cook's Notes: Prepare the shrimp while the pasta is cooking.

Prep your garlic and parsley for aglio olio and set them, as well as drained pasta and remaining ingredients all within arm's reach of your stove top.

The aroma will be intense! Cooked anchovies have a salted-nutty (rather than fishy) taste that compliments the garlic as it sweetens and softens.

Seperti biasa memang tak sah kalau tak improvise recipe. instead of flat leaf parsley as required in the recipe saya gantikan dengan coriander leaves atau juga dikenali by its American name cilantro or another name for it is chinese parsley. Saya lebih sukakan rasa coriander dalam recipe ni and guys please be generous with the amount of coriander you use and be generous with EVOO - extra virgin olive oil too. Saya juga sprinkle a dash or two white pepper to taste. The rest ikut jelah recipe.
The shrimp coated with all its marinated ingredients memang sedap!