Shells with Shrimp, Artichoke Hearts and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Are you ready for something new to add to your favorite pasta dishes?  This will be it.  This is so satisfying, yet light, you'll dream about eating it every day.  Here's the thing...the sauce comes together really, really fast so have all of your ingredients lined up and ready to go.  Start cooking the pasta before you even start the sauce.  Bring it all together in the end for a perfect combination of seafood, pasta and flavor.  This is one of those dishes that you'll never tire of and you'll fall back on it time and time again.  Just like a good friend - it will come through for you every time.

Pasta Shells with Shrimp, Artichoke Hearts and Sun-dried Tomatoes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

pinch of chili pepper flakes

1 pound of large, fresh shrimp, peeled & deveined (tails off)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 can of artichoke hearts (in water), drained and quartered

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped

1 pound of medium shell pasta

 Have all the ingredients ready to go. 

In a large pot of boiling salted water, add the pasta shells.    Bring back to a boil and stir frequently.

While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan.  Add the chili pepper flakes and let sizzle for about 1 minute.  Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until pink.  Add the garlic & sun-dried tomatoes and stir for 2 minutes.  Add the artichoke hearts and toss lightly.  Add the cooked pasta directly to the shrimp and artichoke hearts in the saute pan.  Sir in bread crumbs, salt, pepper and parsley.  Transfer pasta to large shallow serving dish. 

Serve immediately.

Coconut Shrimp with Orange, Honey & Soy Dipping Sauce

This is a shrimp recipe that can be served for a hundred different reasons and occasions.  It's a very fun addition to a Chinese menu, it's a fabulous appetizer, it can also be part of a tropical menu like Caribbean or Hawaiian.  There's no bad time of year to serve it.  Holidays, birthdays, showers, cocktail parties, you name the reason and this is a welcome addition.  I have to say, I'm pretty sure that even people who barely like shrimp have ended up devouring these.  And if you're serving it to real shrimp lovers?  Uh, better triple the recipe.

Coconut Shrimp with an Orange, Honey & Soy Dipping Sauce

Dipping Sauce:
3/4 cup orange marmalade
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp. dry ginger
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

Shrimp:
3/4 cup all-purpose four
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 cup club soda or seltzer water

1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
16 extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left intact

For Sauce:
In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients.  You can make it a day ahead.  Cover and chill.


For Shrimp:
Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium bowl.  Add the egg and club soda and whisk until JUST combined, but still a little lumpy.  Do not over-mix!  Let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour enough vegetable oil into a heavy large saute pan to come halfway up the sides of the pan.  Attach a deep-fry thermometer to pan and heat oil over medium heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line one baking sheet with wax paper and line another baking sheet with paper towels.

Spread coconut on a large plate or pie dish.  Working with 1 shrimp at a time, dip into batter, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl.  Roll in the coconut and lay out on the sheet lined with wax paper.  Working in batches, deep fry the shrimp until cooked through, about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to paper towels.  Serve hot with dipping sauce.