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  • Pasta with Lemon Basil Oil, Prawns, Asparagus and Tomatoes

    Ingredients

    Marinated prawns and asparagus

    Yield: 8 portions, portion size: 1 cup (250 mL)

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Thyme, finely chopped
      2 Tbsp. (30 mL)
    • Basil, finely chopped
      3 Tbsp. (45 mL)
    • Parsley, finely chopped
      2 Tbsp. (30 mL)
    • Garlic, finely chopped
      1 Tbsp. (15 mL)
    • Lemon zest, finely chopped
      2 tsp. (10 mL)
    • Canola oil
      1½ cups (375 mL)
    • Prawns, 21 to 25 count or larger, peeled and veined
      18 ea.
    • Sea salt
      ½ tsp. (2 mL)
    • Black pepper, freshly cracked at grilling time
      ¼ tsp. (1 mL)
    • Asparagus
      18 Spears

    Lemon-basil Canola Oil

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Canola oil
      1½ cups (375 mL)
    • Basil leaves, washed, blanched and squeezed
      2 bu.
    • Spinach leaves, washed, blanched and squeezed
      1 bu.
    • Lemon zest
      2 Tbsp. (30 mL)
    • Sea salt
      ½ tsp. (2 mL)
    • Black pepper, freshly cracked
      ¼ tsp. (1 mL)

    Pasta

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Dried pasta, high quality, capellini
      2 lb. (1 kg)
    • Cherry tomatoes, Sweet 100s, washed and cut into halves
      2 cups (500 mL)
    • Red onion, medium, sliced paper thin
      ½ ea.
    • Basil, chiffonade
      ⅓ cup (75 mL)
    • Baby arugula leaves, washed and dried
      2 cups (500 mL)
    • Sea salt
      ½ tsp. (2 mL)
    • Black pepper, freshly cracked
      ¼ tsp. (1 mL)
    • Pecorino cheese, grated
      ½ cup (125 mL)

    Method

    1. For the shrimp marinade:In blender, add herbs, garlic, lemon zest and canola oil; process until smooth.
    2. In bowl, pour 80 percent of marinade over prawns and gently toss to coat well. Place in resealable bag and refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes or overnight. Toss remaining marinade over asparagus and reserve.
    3. At cooking time, remove prawns from marinade and drain for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and grill prawns over hot charcoal or wood grill about 2 minutes on each side.
    4. Grill marinated asparagus for about 4 minutes or until just cooked (al dente). Cut asparagus about 3 inches from tips and reserve for garnish; thinly slice the rest.
    5. For the lemon-basil canola oil:In pot with boiling salted water, blanch basil and spinach until bright green. Remove from boiling water and place in ice bath to chill quickly; drain and squeeze out excess water. In blender, add canola oil, basil, spinach, zest, salt and pepper and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Strain through fine strainer and reserve for service.
    6. For pasta: In bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, sliced asparagus, red onions, basil and arugula; set aside.
    7. In pot, cook pasta in boiling salted water about 7-10 minutes or until al dente. Do not overcook pasta and do not rinse. Remove pasta from water and add to bowl with vegetables; toss gently. If necessary, add a few drops of hot cooking water so dish remains moist.
    8. To serve, place portion of pasta in center of plate and add three shrimp and three asparagus tips over top. Drizzle with Lemon-Basil Canola Oil over top and sprinkle with grated Pecorino cheese.