Shrimp Fettuccine with Garlic Butter Sauce

Here is a dish that I really enjoy preparing and eating! I like to make this for family and friends. If you are having visitors and want to serve a nice home cooked meal, this is the dish for you. If you are not a meat eater or are trying to cut down on meat with some meatless days, this shrimp with fettucine will do the trick. I'm a meat eater but on the days that I eat this dish, I don't miss having meat at all.

The shrimp is a lowfat food but does contain cholesterol. This recipe also calls for the addition of butter so you might want to eat it only occasionally.

This is a most delicious way to prepare dinner for four for under $11. The recipe can also be prepared for one to three individuals or more than the four. Just watch portion sizes and plan accordingly. This pictures below are from when this dish was prepared for two people- a large, hearty dinner eaten at 6 in the evening with plenty of time to exercise it off (or sit and relax in front of the television, whatever you fancy). The point is that it's best to not go straight to bed with this big meal on your stomach.

When I get tempted to go to an expensive seafood restaurant, I often just make this dish instead. Now here's the recipe. Enjoy:

For two:

1. 1/2-1lb of thawed or fresh raw peel on shrimp

(I buy the Harris Teeter brand H.T. Traders EZ Peel Raw Shrimp. It is a product of Thailand and offer 31-40 count per pound. I typically buy a 2lb bag and use less than half a bag at a time when cooking for two. The cost can range from 7.99-9.99.)

3oz of meat or seafood is a typical serving but this recipe is much more generous portion.

A 3oz portion of the shrimp would be 80calories, 1g fat, 18g protein, 165mg cholesterol. We've got to love it for all that protein but want to watch the cholesterol.

I know I'm contradicting myself with the next ingredient, butter.

2. 1/4 stick of unsalted butter

3. garlic

4. parsley, basil and/or oregano

5. paprika

5. Old Bay seafood seasoning

6. extra virgin olive oil

7. fettuccine made from semolina (I also use Harris Teeter H.T. Traders brand, imported from Italy, here.)

To keep costs of ingredients low, you might want to use all of your own local supermarket brands.

Approximately 7oz. of pasta was used in this recipe. Again, be vigilant if watching portion control. A proper serving for one is only 2oz, with 210cal, 1g fat, 44g carb, 2g dietary fiber, 2g sugar, 7g protein.

For this recipe, each individual is served 3.5oz pasta, not 2oz. Reduce portions as you desire.

Note that the butter and olive oil will add fat to the dish.

 Steep frozen shrimp in a bowl of water to thaw for at least 15 minutes and then proceed with peeling or peel fresh shrimp immediately. After you've peeled the shrimp, rinse it several more times with water, drain and place it in a skillet or frying pan that has been coated with olive oil and is beginning to pre-heat.

On another burner of your stove, you can simultaneously begin preparing the pasta. Put 4 quarts of salted water to a rapid boil in a fairly deep pot and then add the fettuccine. It will stick out of the top of the pot at first, but as it softens it will all be submerged in the water. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. Allow the pasta to cook for at least 8-10 minutes to proper soft consistency and then drain it in a colander, before serving onto plates. You will place the pasta in the plates first, before adding the shrimp on top.

While the pasta is being given its time to cook, we can turn our attention back to the shrimp. It should have turned from silver / gray to pink by now, evidence that it is cooked. High heat should be reduced to low-medium at this time, an we can add generous dashes of all the spices listed above. Be especially generous with the garlic, amounting to approx. 11/2 tablespoons.

The final steps would be include adding pats of butter into the pan and removing the pan from the heat as soon as the butter is fully melted.

Use a ladle to spoon some of the shrimp with sauce onto the pasta.

Optionally, sprinkle a bit of Parmesan cheese on top.