Fettucine, Rock Shrimp, Corn and Jalapeno
Jalapenos are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapenos have a balanced combination of flavor and heat.
The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties. You can now get jalapenos with various heat level and sizes. These can be used in salsas, stuffed, or eaten straight with cheeseburgers (my personal favorite).
Ingredients:
1 pound dried fettuccine
3 Tbsp. plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 medium jalapeno, stemmed and seeded, sliced in rounds
1 pound rock shrimp, peeled and deveined
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 ears corn, kernels removed from cob
2 cups arugula, rinsed and spun-dry, chopped
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the fettuccine. Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the box instructs for al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving about 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the 3 Tbsp. of olive oil over a medium flame in a deep, straight-sided saute pan and add the jalapeno. Cook until the chile softens, about 2 minutes, then season the rock shrimp with salt and pepper, and add it to the pan. Sear the shrimp on all sides for 6-8 minutes total, then add the corn. Stir well to combine the mixture and cook for about 1 minute more. Season with 1/2 tsp. of sea salt.
Reduce the flame to medium and add the arugula. Stir to combine, then add the pasta and the reserved pasta water. Use a pair oftongs to toss the ingredients, and continue cooking for about 1 minute more. Season the mixture with some additional salt and pepper, then transfer the pasta into four serving bowls, and drizzle some the high-quality extra-virgin olive oil over each bowl before serving.
Recipe from “The Young Man & the Sea, Recipes & Crispy Fish Tales from Esca” by David Pasternack and Ed Levine, ISBN 9781579652760.