SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS IN CREAM SAUCE

SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS IN CREAM SAUCE image

Yield 4 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

--1 1lb pasta (I used whole wheat penne, but linguine or spaghetti noodles would also be great)
--3oz Canadian bacon, diced into 1 centimeter cubes
--splash of olive oil
--1 lb raw shrimp (large), peeled, tails removed, and de-veined if necessary
--salt and pepper, to taste
-- 2 -3 tablespoons grainy dijon mustard
--3 tablespoons water/ white wine
--1 tablespoon cornstarch
--1 teaspoon hot sauce
--1 garlic clove, diced and then mashed into a paste with a pinch of salt (or a cube of frozen garlic from Trader Joes)
--1/2 cup soy sour cream
--splash of soy milk
--salt and pepper to taste
--2 bunches asparagus, washed, trimmed, and cut into 1 inch pieces

Steps:

1) Put on a large pot of water to boil, when you are ready for it, it will be happily boiling away. 2) Saute the cubed Canadian bacon in a splash of olive oil on low heat in a frying pan until it begins to brown (15 minutes or so) 3) Drop the pasta, with a pinch of salt, into the boiling water. Cook according to directions. Hopefully, the pasta will be finishing right as the sauce finishes .(My pasta had to cook for 12 minutes and it worked out perfectly for me.) 4) Add the shrimp to the frying pan with salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium high, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn pink (about 3 minutes). 5) With a slotted spoon, take out the shrimp, leaving the oil and bacon behind (it is okay if a few bits of bacon come along). Place the shrimp on a clean bowl or plate. This step ensure that your shrimp don't get overcooked or chewy. Yay! 6) Make a slurry of the mustard, water, cornstarch, hot sauce, and garlic. Stir vigorously or shake in a container (with a tight lid) until cornstarch is dissolved. Add slowly to frying pan, stirring continuously. 7) As the sauce cooks it will thicken. Continue stirring for about a minute, then add the soy sour cream and soy milk. Stir. 8) Add the asparagus pieces to the pan. Cook, stirring continuously, for about 3 minutes. If the sauce appears too thick, add more soy milk to thin it out. 9) Turn off the heat and add the shrimp back to the pan, stir a few times to make sure the sauce is distributed evenly. Taste and adjust seasonings. 10) Drain the cooked pasta, and put back into the pot. Pour the sauce over top and stir to combine. To serve: Serve in a shallow bowl or plate. A fresh green salad goes nicely as an accompaniment.