Prawn & Mushroom Pasta (Penne)

Ingredients:

Sauce

• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 cups half and half (½ milk & ½ single cream)
• ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon each, salt and white pepper
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (fresh or refrigerated)
  

Prawns

• 1 pound tiger prawns
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 mixed peppers (red, yellow & green, deseeded & sliced)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (fresh or bottled)
• 1 tablespoon Chianti
  

Pasta & Garnishing

• 8 ounces penne pasta (2 cups)
• ¼ cup basil leaves (fresh or dried)
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  

Directions:

Sauce

1. Sauté garlic in ½ tablespoon olive oil until lightly browned
2. Add half and half and simmer until mixture comes to a slight boil
3. Whisk in Parmesan, salt and white pepper
4. Let cook until reduced to sauce consistency
   

Prawns

1. In separate pan, sauté tiger prawns in remaining olive oil with shitake mushrooms and green peppers for 3 minutes
2. Sprinkle the black pepper and add Chianti to skillet, scraping bits from bottom and sides of skillet
   

Pasta, Prawns & Sauce

1. Cooked penne pasta till al dente according to package directions (add some olive oil in water)
2. In serving bowl, toss pasta with cream sauce, top with prawns mushroom mixture
3. Sprinkle fresh basil and red pepper flakes on top (as needed)
   

(Serves 4 guests)

Shrimp Toast

Ingredients:

Shrimp Mixture

• 450g fresh shrimp (shelled, deveined and chopped)
• 2 – 3 water chestnuts (diced)
• ½ medium onion (diced)
• 1 scallion/spring onion (chopped fine)
• 1 egg (lightly beaten)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (corn flour)
• Sesame oil (a few drops)
• Salt (to taste)
• White pepper (to taste)
  

Bread, Oil & Condiments

• 8 slices of white bread with the crusts removed (1 loaf )
• 2 - 4 cups oil (for deep-frying)
• Thai sweet chilli sauce (as needed)

Directions:

Shrimp Mixture

1. Combine the diced water chestnuts, onion, shrimp and mince until fine
2. Add the scallion, cornstarch, egg, white pepper, and sesame oil. Mix well together
   

Bread

1. Cut each slice of bread into 4 squares (32 squares total)
2. Place a heaping teaspoon of the shrimp mixture on bread square
3. Continue with each of the bread squares
   

Deep Frying Toast

1. Heat wok and add 2 - 4 cups oil. Heat the oil till boiling. Lower temperature
2. Carefully slide the bread pieces into the wok, a few slices at a time, shrimp mixture down
3. Deep-fry until golden, about 1 – 2 minutes, then turn and deep-fry on other side
4. Drain on paper towels
5. Garnish with remaining scallion and serve hot with Thai sweet chill sauce
   

(Serves 32 pieces, roughly 4 guests)