Creamy Cajun Pasta with Shrimp and Alligator Sausage

Creamy Cajun Pasta with Shrimp and Alligator Sausage

A special Creole Italian pasta recipe developed by Chef Jamie of LH Hayward.

 

    Ingredients

    • ½ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
    • ½ lb alligator sausage, sliced into half moons
    • 1 tablespoon blackening seasoning (your favorite)
    • 1 tablespoon Cajun/Creole seasoning (your favorite)
    • Olive oil (about ¼ cup, you’ll be using it in multiple steps)
    • ½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
    • ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
    • ½ yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon thyme
    • ¾ tablespoon Cajun/Creole seasoning (your favorite)
    • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
    • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • ½ cup crushed tomatoes, (about half of a 15 oz can)
    • ¾ cup chicken broth
    • 1½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ¾ cup heavy cream, or half and half
    • 16 oz (500 g) Dagostino Alligator Pasta, uncooked
    • Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
    • Shaved Parmesan, sliced green onion, and chopped parsley, garnish

    Directions

    1. Bring large pot of water to boil for pasta. Add pasta to salted boiling water and cook until al dente, about 3-5 minutes. (Since the pasta is freshly handmade, the cooking time is a lot shorter than normal dry pasta)
    2. Toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon blackening seasoning and 1 tablespoon Cajun/Creole seasoning. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and drizzle bottom of pan with olive oil. Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes or until the edges are opaque. Flip shrimp over and cook another minute or two and then remove to a plate and set aside. Drizzle pan with a little more olive oil, add sausage and brown until caramelized, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
    3. Lower heat to medium and add a drizzle more of olive oil to the same pan, add the onion, red bell pepper, thyme, smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon Cajun/Creole seasoning, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Sauté until onion and pepper have softened a bit. (Be sure to stir constantly to not burn the brown sugar.) Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    4. Add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer, stirring and incorporating and bits from the bottom of pan, simmer a couple minutes. Add cream and stir to combine, bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add grated Parmesan and stir into sauce.
    5. When Parmesan is blended in, add cooked pasta and alligator sausage and stir to combine and heat through, 2 - 3 minutes. (Add more chicken broth or cream if it seems dry or you'd like more sauce.)
    6. Salt and pepper to taste and then lastly, add blackened shrimp and combine, or place shrimp on top of pasta.
    7. Garnish with some more freshly cracked black pepper, shaved parmesan, sliced green onion, and chopped parsley. Enjoy!

    Learn more about Chef Jamie Warrick here.

     

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