I am noting this recipe after eating “Shrimp ‘Weesie’” at Carrabba’s Restaurant. At first glance, the name appeared to me to be a tribute to the Weesley family of Harry Potter fame. Charmed by the idea, though there’s no particular magic in this dish other than its deliciousness, I decided to attribute it that way as I’m a fan of the movies.
Determine how much shrimp you will offer, here I show 5-10 per person. If you don’t over-cook them, they will be fabulous. Here in Utah, I can get uncooked shrimp in a partially frozen state most of the year for $5-8 per pound. Don’t buy pre-cooked shrimp which might be useful in cold salads, but which cannot be cooked or even warmed up without being ruined. In fact, cooking shrimp is so easy and takes only seconds, what’s the point of letting that bit of quality escape your control?
I suggest having a few filets of chicken breast on hand for those guests who are squeamish about shrimp. (Remember who they are and no longer invite them to your table except for mac and cheese—they probably don’t like tomatoes or broccoli either.)
6 people
| 1 | gallon or quart Ziploc® bag |
| 30-60 | raw shrimp, deveined and shells removed |
| ¼ cup | all-purpose flour |
| 1 tsp | olive oil |
| ½ stick | butter |
| 4 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1 | lemon |
| — | filets of chicken breast (optional) |
| 1 lb | fettucine |
| 1 recipe | thin alfredo sauce |
| ½ cup | grated Romano or parmiggiano reggiano |
| ½ cup | finely sliced mushrooms |
1. Devein and rinse shrimp in cold water, then pat dry. Put them into the baggie with the flour and shake to dredge. Remove from bag shaking off as much flour as possible.
2. Cook the pasta for about 10 minutes to al dente. This step will be done more or less simultaneously with others. Toss in the alfredo sauce which should be on the thin side rather than unctuous and over-powering.
3. Slice the mushrooms and toss in a hot skillet in butter with a small amount of salt.
4. Heat a skillet to medium hot with a tiny amount of olive oil to coat its bottom. Throw in the remaining butter in small pieces, the garlic, then all the shrimp. Toss in pan (with that little shuffle cooks are known for) to turn and then, just as the shrimp have changed color, squeeze the lemon, which you will have cut in half, over the whole pan. Pour immediately over the pasta and serve garnished with the finely grated cheese.