What's For Dinner? (8.15.10)

Well, I’ve been cooking, but between tons of travel and less than rational amounts of sleep, it’s mostly been simple standbys with not a lot of improvisation.  Not that tonight’s dinner gets too far out of that box, but it was so tasty and easy, I figured I should write about it.  So, first off, some rainbow chard with stems removed and cut into thick ribbons gets blanched in a large pot of salted water for a couple minutes, until it just starts to wilt.  Out of the water and into a ice bath to shock it and hold color, then into the salad spinner to dry off.  I hope you didn’t drain all that hot water off, ‘cause it’ll be useful later for the pasta.  If you did, no big deal, just start another pot of salted water getting to a boil.  In the skillet, a minced combination of garlic cloves, shallots and a couple hot red peppers sizzle with a little olive oil for 30 seconds – just enough to release their flavors, not enough for the garlic to brown and get bitter.  Then in quick with a dozen or so peeled and de-veined shrimp, to sauté just until they start to color, maybe 90 seconds per side, tops.  Shrimp out of the pan to a waiting bowl, chard into the pan to sauté for another sixty seconds before deglazing with a splash of white wine.  Once that’s reduced to almost dry, back in go the shrimp along with a can of diced tomatoes along with their juices, salt and pepper.  Drop some angel hair pasta into your boiling, salted water (remember that?) - just to al dente, a couple of minutes – then drain and add to sauté pan.  Maybe add a splash of the pasta-water too, to give the sauce a little body.  Toss together with a chiffonade of basil, fresh lemon zest and a handful of parmesan.  Squeeze half a lemon over top, sprinkle on some parsley, and enjoy! Light, refreshing and delightfully summery, with just a bit of bite from the hot peppers.  20 minutes, start to finish.  What could be better?

Wine with dinner:  07 Azienda Agricola Cos Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico - Raspberry floral hot rocks. Ripe fruit flavors without being fat, heavy, jammy or any of those other words. All of the hot climate flavors presented in a lacy filigree. Delicate. Racy. Demands food and repays you handsomely for it. Delicious! Of course, any lighter Italian red could work here, as long as it has the acidity to stand up to the tomatoes and the spice!