Ingredients
- 1 package frozen edamame or 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 225 gr. small or medium-sized raw shrimp
- olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock, unsalted or reduced sodium preferred
- 230 gr. vermicelli or other thin pasta, broken into5 cm pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
Method
Do ahead
- Cook the edamame according to package directions, this can be done a day ahead, storing cooked edamame in the shells in the fridge.
- An hour or so before cooking the, shell 1/2 cup of edamame beans and set aside.
- Peel and devein the shrimp.
- If you wish to use the shells to flavor your stock, they add a nice extra to the finished dish, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saucepan.
- Add the shrimp shells, toss to coat with oil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 – 3′.
- Add chicken stock and 1 cup water.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 6 – 7′.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large measuring cup, pressing gently on the shells with the back of a spoon to release more liquid.
- Add enough water to bring liquid back to 2 cups and set aside.
- You can do this as you prep your vegetables or a little before.
Cook the dish.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick sauté pan or deep skillet over medium flame.
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper and quickly sauté, about 2′ per side.
- Don’t worry if they haven’t cooked completely through, you’ll finish them later with the pasta.
- Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Drizzle a little more oil in the pan and add the broken pasta.
- Carefully stir it to coat with oil and cook until nicely golden brown, stirring almost constantly, about 6 – 8′, watch closely, it can go from nothing to burnt quickly.
- Transfer to a large bowl with a spatula or other slotted tool.
- Wipe skillet clean with paper towel.
- Add 2 more tablespoons of oil and sweat bell pepper and onion until softening, stirring frequently to avoid browning, 5 – 7′, reduce heat if onion begins to brown.
- Season with a little salt and a generous grind of pepper.
- Stir in garlic and paprika and cook until fragrant, about 45″.
- Add wine and cook until almost evaporated, scraping up any browned bits.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add pasta to pan along with 1/2 cup of broth.
- Cook, stirring, until broth is mostly absorbed into pasta.
- Add another 1/2 cup and repeat.
- Add the remaining cup of broth and continue cooking, stirring frequently to coat pasta.
- The pasta will seem to resist softening, alarmingly so as the broth level reduces, don’t worry.
- At about 8 – 10′ in of total cooking time, it will start to relax.
- And even any errant strands that fail to totally soften won’t have that raw pasta taste, thanks to the toasting, instead, they’ll have a nice, delicious crunch.
- When pasta has cooked for about 6 – 8′, stir in the edamame and nestle the shrimp into the pasta, if you’re substituting peas, add them when you add the last of the broth to give them time to cook.
- Stir occasionally and start tasting noodles at 10′ for doneness.
- Adjust seasonings and serve in shallow pasta bowls, arranging the shrimp on top.
- Top with freshly grated Parmesan, if desired, and serve.