Creamy Cilantro-Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti

Fresh cilantro, mellow garlic and shrimp stock coating every strand.

Ingredients

Pasta

• 500 g Panzani Spaghetti No. 5
• 4–5 L water
• 1½ tbsp salt
• 1½ cups pasta water reserved

Shrimp

• 505 g frozen whole shrimp, thawed; heads and shells — do not discard

Cleaned shrimp meat

• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp cooking/olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter

Concentrated shrimp stock

• All cleaned shrimp heads and shells
• 400 mL water
• 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• NO salt yet

Cilantro-garlic cream sauce

• 45–60 g cleaned cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 15 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 250 mL all-purpose cream
• 150 mL concentrated shrimp-head stock
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp calamansi/lemon juice
• 2 tbsp butter
• 30–50 g Parmesan, optional

Only if needed at the end

• ½–1 tsp of homemade roasted shrimp powder

Method

• Clean, peel and devein the shrimp; save the cleaned heads and shells. Simmer these with 400 mL water and 2 garlic cloves for 10–12 minutes. Cool slightly, blend briefly, and strain very finely. Measure 150 mL stock for the sauce.
• Trim and wash the cilantro, using about 45–60 g cleaned leaves and healthy stems. Slowly cook 15 garlic cloves in 2 tbsp oil until soft and golden, about 6–10 minutes.
• Blend the golden garlic and oil with cilantro, cream, measured stock, salt and pepper. Cook the spaghetti 1 minute short of al dente and reserve at least 1½ cups pasta water.
• Season the shrimp, then quickly sear in 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter. Remove before fully cooked. Add the blended sauce to the pan with 120 mL pasta water, simmer gently for 2 minutes, then stir in 2 tbsp butter.
• Taste before adding optional shrimp powder. Toss in spaghetti for 1–2 minutes, loosening with pasta water. Add optional Parmesan, return the shrimp until cooked through, and finish with calamansi or lemon off the heat.

Before you cook

Read the ingredient labels for allergens, especially seafood, soy, wheat, dairy and eggs. Prepared sauces and seasoning powders vary in saltiness, so taste before adding more. Cooking times are guides; check doneness in the actual batch.

Cook poultry and reheated leftovers to 74°C, ground meat to 71°C, and fish to 63°C. FoodSafety.gov cooking guidance ↗