Fettuccine with Spicy Vodka Shrimp and Vegetables

This past weekend, I met up with a couple of friends for dinner at their place. My friend asked “what are we going to make now that we’ve tried the Cedar Plank Salmon there are no more dinner recipes on your blog. “ So I found this one at the LCBO. I’m a huge fan of fettuccine alfredo and shrimp so I figured this would be perfect as well as exciting! I’ve never flambéed anything before.

My true cooking skills really showed with this recipe. I totally panicked when I set the pan on fire and put it out way too early. By then I was frazzled and ended up burning the sauce. Needless to say we ordered in Thai and had a few Singha’s

This looks like a great and sounds like a great recipe so I urge those of you that have the courage and skills to pull this off to write in and let me know how it is.

Thanks

Fettuccine with Spicy Vodka Shrimp and Vegetables
By: Johanna Burkhard

Infusing shrimp with pungent chillies and garlic, and then flambéeing with vodka gives the shrimp an incredible boost of fresh flavour – as if they were just plucked from the ocean.

3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
1 1/2 lbs (750 g) large deveined raw shrimp, peeled but with tails left on
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 to 1 tsp (2 to 5 mL) chilli pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup (75 mL) vodka
2 small red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into thin strips
1 cup (250 mL) fish or chicken stock
1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream
1 tbsp (15 mL) grated orange zest
3/4 lb (375 g) fettuccine
1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Place half of the oil in a large nonstick heavy skillet and heat over high heat until almost smoking. Add shrimp, garlic, chilli pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, for about one minute or until shrimp are pink and almost cooked through. Add vodka and ignite with a match. Cook, shaking pan, until flames subside. Transfer shrimp and juices to a bowl.
2. Add remaining oil to skillet and heat until hot. Add red pepper and fennel strips and cook, stirring, for two minutes or until tender-crisp. Transfer to bowl with shrimp.
3. Add stock, cream and orange zest to skillet. Bring to a gentle boil (take care that it doesn’t boil over) until sauce has reduced by about half in volume. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return shrimp and vegetable mixture to skillet and heat through.
4. Meanwhile cook fettuccine in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but firm. Drain well. Return to pot. Toss with shrimp and vegetable mixture and sprinkle with parsley. Divide among warm pasta bowls or plates and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a main course; 6 as an appetizer