Shrimp & Shitake Garlic Spaghetti

There's a first time for everything. right?  It's rare I like my first attempt; but today, I did it!  If only I could apply to other things I need to get done at the moment!

A lot of my food cravings stem from stuff I've eaten before.  Is that how it is for everyone?  Do we only crave what we've tasted before.  I'm not sure it's possible to crave something we've never had.  Although, I do want to try anything with truffles in it.  But, I've purposely avoided trying anything with truffles in it because I don't have $500 to spend and waste trying to cook up my own truffle dish lol.

Today's dinner was inspired by cheesecake factory's garlic noodles with shrimp.  I like the light garlic sauce (sometimes it can be somewhat heavy), the shitake mushrooms, the asparagus, tomatoes and shrimp.  A google search didn't come up with a good copycat recipe; so, I had to make do and start with something.  The recipe I started with was again one of Emeril's Shitake & Bacon with Penne

I'll call mine: Roasted Shrimp, Tomato, and Asparagus in a Shitake, Bacon, & Garlic Spaghetti with Fresh Basil.

Ingredients:

6 oz of ham and bacon diced or pancetta

3 Roma Tomatoes, sliced into wedges

Asparagus (or as Jordan calls it "ass-per-grass", cut off most of the stem

Shitake Mushroom (about 8 oz), sliced

1 large Shallot, chopped

3 cloves of Garlic, minced

a handful of Fresh Basil, chopped

10 good sized Shrimp peeled, deveined with tails

Pecorino Romano, freshly grated

Spices: Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Basil, Garlic Powder

Olive Oil

2 tbsp of unsalted Butter! (duh! had to have butter in this recipe)

Barilla Spaghetti

(p.s. Thyme is pictured in the recipe but I decided to not include it.. I didn't feel it needed it)

First step as always prep veggies:

1) In a medium bowl, toss sliced tomatoes in olive oil, a pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper, a dash of oregano, basil, and garlic powder.  Place in a cookie sheet and turn the oven on a high broil (with the highest rack 2 or 3 from the top...don't want to char(mander) them)
2) In the same medium bowl, toss asparagus in olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Add to the same cookie sheet and set aside.
3) I'd take the time now to chop and mince the other veggies.

Prep the Shrimpies & Ham/Bacon or Pancetta:

1)  Butterfly the shrimp
2) Toss in a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper (I've found that a simple pinch of salt, pepper, & olive oil really brings out the flavor of whatever your grilling or broiling)
3) Throw onto a cookie sheet and set aside.
4) Dice up some ham and bacon or pancetta if you have it.

Get a pot of water boiling for your spaghetti.

The "Sauce":

1) In a medium pan on medium heat, add the ham and bacon or pancetta and cook till crispy (or till your husband/significant other/sous chef?/line cook? gets tired of watching it) I think Jordan ended up babysitting it for 10 minutes.
Drop your pasta in the boiling water and set a timer for 9 minutes. Perfectly al dente :)
And, put your tomatoes and asparagus on the top rack of the oven to broil (mb about 5 minutes)
Also, put your shrimp in.  They will cook quick as well.
2) Add shitake mushrooms and shallots and cook for another 5-10 minutes
3) Add minced garlic and cook for about a minute (don't burn it though)
4) Add the chopped basil, 2 tbsp of olive oil, big pinch of salt, pepper, and al dente pasta. Toss with some tongs.
5) Add your roasted tomatoes, asparagus, and shrimpies.
6) Garnish with grated pecorino and fresh basil (both optional)
7) also optional is crispy cold glass of chardonnay