I’ve been so busy getting our new pastas ready for “The Big Intro” at the Fancy Food Show, that I haven’t been able to document my recipes or take photos. Luckily my friend, Wendy Williams was willing to share with us her recipe for Pasta with Maine Shrimp. We Ann Arborites are SO LUCKY to have such an amazing fish purveyor, Monahan’s Seafood.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Maine Shrimp

1 bag al dente® whole wheat linguine

1 lb. peeled Maine shrimp

2 cloves garlic, rough chop

1 T butter

1-2 T olive oil

1/2 c dry white wine

1 c Monique’s Sundried Tomato and Leek Sauce

1 c (+) flat leaf parsley (rough chop)

handful of toasted pine nuts

squeeze of lemon
In a large skillet, heat oil and butter then add peeled Maine Shrimp and garlic…sauté for a minute or two, then add wine (boil for a moment) then add Monique’s Sundried Tomato and Leek sauce.
Boil salted water for linguine. Cook for 3 minutes and drain, add to the sauté pan with shrimp/sauce. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts. Squeeze some lemon on before serving if desired.

The light texture of the whole wheat linguine was wonderful…didn’t overwhelm the delicate flavor of the shrimp (which have a short season each year).  Monahan’s recipe is here, which is where we go to find the freshest and best-est!

Wendy used our Whole Wheat Linguine, one of the 5 new products we introduced at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Hope to get them on our website in about 2 weeks, and slowly but surely they will start appearing on store shelves. Our new BonaChia™ Pasta, made with Chia, an ancient grain and nutritional powerhouse, is already attracting loads of attention.

Fruti di Mare Al Dente

My friend, Annabel Cohen, is forever wowing me with the recipes she comes up with. I wanted to quickly share her recipe and story, just in case it could help people plan out their holiday menu.  (as written by Annabel)

I’ve been on a fruti di mare kick for more than a month now.  Just thinking about it makes me want black mussels, tiny sweet clams and big, barely cooked shrimp and a spicy red sauce, over pasta of course.  Here’s the thing. I’m very impatient. Not a self-deprecation, it’s just the way it is. That means I don’t want to wait.  So, while I cook faster than the average bear, I still want it nearly now. Okay, now.  Lucky for me, shellfish loves hasty schedule, cooking to perfection within minutes. A good sauce takes a bit longer and pasta a whole 15 minutes, including bringing water to a boil.  I came up with this expeditious recipe that uses some of my favorite prepared ingredients.  I stop on my way home and buy fresh shellfish. I fill up a pot with cold water and start boiling. By the time my pasta is aldente, my fruit di mare is perfection and I’m whirling like a Dervish.  Here’s my speedy recipe.

Fruti di Mare Al Dente

2 cups Monique’s Marvelous Marinara Sauce

1 cup white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

12 black mussels

12 large (12-15 size) shrimp, shelled (tail intact) anddeveined

4 large scallops, halved

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

12 ounces Al Dente Egg Linguine

Combine sauce and wine in a Dutch oven or large deep skillet over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer.  When the pasta water has come to a boil, cook Al Dente pasta according to package directions (for just 3 minutes) until just al dente. When the pasta hits the water, add the mussels and clams to the sauce. Cover with a lid.  Drain the pasta, but do not rinse. Add the shrimp, scallops and parsley to the sauce and raise heat on the sauce and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve the pasta with the sauce over. Makes 4 dinner servings or 8 appetizer servings.

As head of public relations and events for Wolverine CuiZine, the only student culinary magazine on U of M’s campus, I often have to plan fundraisers and social events for all members.  When it came time to brainstorm a local restaurant or brand that would be willing to donate food to our group for a dinner/fundraiser Al Dente came to mind immediately!  Not only did I absolutely fall in love with Al Dente while interning for the company this past summer, but I also know that Monique and the team are very involved in giving back to the Ann Arbor community and supporting local groups.  Not only did Monique provide the pasta and sauce for our latest fundraiser… she gave me a great recipe and her own pan to cook it in!  The recipe, Super Pasta Bake, was super easy to make, even if you aren’t an experienced chef, and it was fabulous to make for a large group of people, which makes it a great option for holiday cooking.  I heard some great pastamonials as students dug in to the dish, but by far my favorite was my boyfriend Brian’s response when he said, “WOW!  I’m gonna have to start buying Al Dente for sure.  This is delicious!”  As you can see from the before and after photos, all students agreed!