I'm not sure I'm the only thinking this tonight, but is it really December 1st already?  Almost
shocking how fast a year can fly.  It's World AIDS Day, and a sundown the 8 day Jewish Holiday
of Hannukah began,,,Chag Sameach to those who are celebrating the Festival of Lights..  Back
to the shock of another year coming to a close...and the frightening prospect of a dark, snowy,
and icy winter ahead...ughhh.  Back into my kitchen, where it is always a happy place ( ok, most
times it is...)and dinner tonight focuses on an ingredient I hope to give you another use for.
It's that creamy, milky and dense Northern Italian cheese known as MASCARPONE.  I don't like
calling it a cream cheese (even though it is) because it confuses me..Cream cheese, as I define
it is the American milky and tangy cheese, whether you like Philadelphia brick style, or the fluffy
stuff like Breakstone's signature Whipped Cream cheese.  This week our local Shop-Rite, if
you are a loyalty card member (costs nothing, join every supermarkets' loyalty program) is selling
a great Italian import, a 8.8 oz tub of Mascarpone for 2.99.  2.99 I said.  That nasty block of fake
American cheese costs twice that..this is a gourmet import...

   This is the Galbani brand and is made
outside of Milan, Italy.  It's genuine..it's delicious...and it's not just for making that dessert,
Tira Mi Su'...There are many savory applications...use IN PLACE of cream and butter in a
sauce, not both..too rich and greasy...and one of the lessons I learned in Italy, is that American
cooks tend to add too much fat to their cream sauces.  In Florence I learned that for a cream
sauce for pasta all one does is reduce a good amount of heavy cream...no butter, no oil, no
roux added..just let the cream reduce and thicken, and add grated cheese...it's heaven.
For dinner tonight, I developed this recipe with a few odds and ends in the fridge..love that.
Shrimp with Fettuccine in a sauce of Vermouth, Mascarpone, with green onion, mushrooms,
fresh parsley, black pepper, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.   Cook 1 lb. of fettuccine, my preference
is DeCecco...till al dente..important, very important...you will finish the cooking in the sauce.
Peel and devein 25 medium shrimp (don't show off by using a jumbo shrimp here...when
combining with a pasta, take the shrimp down a notch or two in size..better presentation, and
a better dish to serve.)  Mix 4 tbs. of flour with a little salt and pepper and coat the shrimp well.
Get a pan sizzling hot with a little olive oil..we are going to saute', not deep fry the shrimp. In
batches, saute' for 3 minutes on each side.  Remove to a platter lined with paper towels.
 They should be slightly crisp on the outside
and just a touch underdone in the center.    In that same pan, add 1 cup of sliced mushrooms,
I used cremini here...buttons will work as well, or baby bellas too.  Salt and pepper the mushrooms
and saute' until soft, takes 6-8 minutes..deglaze the pan with that old 60's favorite, and a great
wine to cook seafood with, 1/8 cup Vermouth.  Doesn't a Martini and Rossi bottle bring you back
to those swinging 60's?  Aunt and Uncles making martinis in some relatives basement...(Uncle
Vinny's in my case)..                                                                              

Let this bubble up and cook for 5 minutes, reducing somewhat..then add 2 green onions
sliced thinly on a bias, a handful of chopped flatleaf Italian parsley and let this cook for
2 minutes...then add 1/4 cup of the Mascarpone blending it in well till creamy.



Let this thicken, takes about 3 minutes...then add the pasta, till it's all coated, then add the
shrimp...blend well with two forks, and just heat through, about 2 minutes.


The pasta should soak up all those flavors, season with salt and cracked black pepper,
a squeeze of fresh lemon (just wakes everything on a dish up) and serve with a good
grating of PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO!





Do not be looking for this dish to be swimming in sauce..it should be clinging to
the fettuccine...resist that temptation to throw more on, or feel like you didn't
make enough..when it is served on a plate, there should be no pools of
cream trying to run away from the pasta.  You have made a dish of pasta like
you would have in Italy..with plenty of flavor on every strand you put into your
mouth.. Garnish with extra green onion and parsley.  .Happy December Friends!!!