Pasta With Zucchini, Corn and Shrimp

This is a great summer dish! Salt and black pepper 1 pound linguine or other long pasta 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed (about 20 shrimp) 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons olive oil 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium shallot or ½ medium onion, minced Red-pepper flakes 2 cups chunked zucchini 2 cups corn kernels (2 to 3 large ears) ¼ cup chopped fresh mint, for garnishing ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, for garnishing In a large pasta pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the packaging directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and season with salt. In a separate large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter into 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook until just opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to extract shrimp and set aside. Maintaining medium-high heat, add the garlic, shallot and a pinch each of salt, black pepper and red pepper, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant and shallot is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes. Add corn along with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt; stir to coat. Cook until the corn is bright yellow and warm, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, they should maintain their crispness. Add pasta to the pot with the vegetables, followed by the shrimp, ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir to combine, reheating the shrimp while creating a glossy sauce, for about 90 seconds. Remove from heat and add chopped mint and basil and stir. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti with Pine Nuts and Swiss Chard

I have said it before and I will say it again, Josh McFadden's cookbook Six Seasons still stands out as the single best cookbook I have cooked from, and this recipe is one of my favorites--there is still some swiss chard surviving outside and so this is a summer and fall dish in my neck of the woods. You can sub out the pine nuts for something less pricey, but they really shine here. ½ cup raisins red wine vinegar kosher salt freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces spaghetti or tagliatelle, or angel hair extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced) ½ cup pinenuts ½ teaspoon dried chile flakes 1 bunch Swiss chard (dried ends trimmed, stems thinly sliced, leaves torn into strips) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter parmigiano reggiano cheese (for grating) METHOD Spaghetti with Swiss Chard, Pine Nuts, Raisins, and Chiles is a guest recipe by Joshua McFadden so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe Combine the raisins, a splash of vinegar, and warm water just to cover in a bowl and plump for 20 minutes. Drain. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt until it tastes like the sea. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions. Start tasting a minute or so ahead of time so you don't overcook it. With a ladle or a measuring cup, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and drain the pasta well. Meanwhile, pour a healthy glug of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and pine nuts and let them toast very slowly until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chile flakes and cook for another 10 seconds so they can bloom, then add the drained raisins. Increase the heat to medium, add the chard stems, season with a bit of salt and black pepper, and cook slowly until the stems are slightly tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the torn chard leaves and a splash of water (use the pasta water, if the timing works), cover the pan, and cook until the leaves are wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the drained pasta and the butter to the chard and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, black pepper, or chile flakes. Grate a bit of Parmigiano over everything, drizzle with more olive oil, and pile into bowls. Serve with more grated cheese.