Richard's Friday Lunch: Creamy Shrimp Alfredo

Our dear friends Richard and Cory are both great cooks and unrelentingly spoil us with mouthwatering dishes whenever we come to visit. Without a doubt, Richard makes the best pastas and treated us to a sensational Creamy Shrimp Alfredo for our Friday lunch, inspired by one of his favourite chefs at the moment, Natasha Kravchuk, creator of the wildly popular recipe and cooking platform, Natasha's Kitchen, and author of a cookbook of the same name. Served with Ina Garten's Caesar Salad, Richard's absolute favourite culinary doyenne, Friday lunch was absolutely delicious — Natasha and Ina would be proud.

Grilled shrimp for the pasta dish

Richard's Caesar Salad

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo with fettuccine 

Natasha's Kitchen by Natasha Kravchuk

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo

Serves 6

Recipe courtesy of Natasha's Kitchen

3/4 lb fettuccine or penne pasta

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tbsp oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 garlic clove

1/3 cup white wine,

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sprinkle of paprika

Parsley or basil for garnish if desired

Cook 3/4 lb of fettuccini noodles in salted water according to package instructions and drain. Don't rinse, as this helps the sauce stick to the noodles better.

Lightly season the shrimp with salt, pepper and paprika. Preheat a large skillet to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 1-2 minutes per side, or just until fully cooked and no longer translucent. They should be golden-pink on the outside and opaque white on the inside. Don't over do it or they will become rubbery. Remove the shrimp to a separate bowl.

In same pan, over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter and onion and sauté onion till golden. Stir in the garlic and sauté another minute. Stir in 1/3 cup white wine and reduce to 25% scraping the bottom to deglaze the pan. Stir in the cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Next, sprinkle the top with 1/3 cup parmesan and stir just until creamy and smooth, then remove from the heat. Don't boil or the cheese will separate from the cream. Add about 1/4 tsp paprika and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked shrimp and drained un-rinsed pasta. Garnish with parsley, basil, extra parmesan or freshly cracked pepper if desired, and serve immediately.

Ina Garten's Caesar Salad

Serves 4-6

2 large heads romaine lettuce

1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

8-10 anchovy fillets 

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 3 lemons — Richard uses slightly less

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup good mild olive oil

3/4 cup canola oil

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups croutons (store-bought or homemade)

Separate the lettuce leaves, discarding the cores, wash them carefully, and spin-dry in a salad spinner. Stack the leaves on a cutting board and cut them crosswise into 1 1/2-inch slices. Place them in a large mixing bowl.

For the dressing, place the egg yolk, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, and process until smooth. Pour the olive oil and canola oil together in a 2-cup glass measuring cup. With the food processor running, slowly pour the oil mixture through the feed tube, as though you were making mayonnaise, and process until thick. Add 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese and pulse 3 times.

Toss the lettuce with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the remaining one cup of grated Parmesan and toss. Divide the salad among 6 to 8 plates and serve.