Daring Gourmet: Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp

For some reason I've been craving fettuccine alfredo with shrimp lately.  It's incredibly rich, so I'm only able to eat a small serving, but I still find myself thinking of it fondly when dinner rolls around and I'm otherwise out of ideas.  I realized lately that I had never actually made it myself, only ordered it at restaurants, so I figured my latest craving was the perfect time to give it a shot.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp

Adapted from Daring Gourmet blog

9 ounces fresh fettuccine, cooked al dente in lightly salted water; reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water
1 pound raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
1 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced, divided use
1¼ cups heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
1 cup freshly grated quality Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil and 2 minced cloves of garlic.  When the butter foams, add the shrimp and cook on both sides until pink throughout.  Season with salt and pepper.  When shrimp are cooked through, remove them from the pan to a dish and cover to keep warm.

In the same saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add the remaining garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.

Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and whisk in ¼ cup of the hot cream, whisking constantly.  Whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the pot, whisking constantly until incorporated. Simmer until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Whisk the cheese into the sauce until melted. Add the lemon zest, salt, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water.

Remove the hot pasta from the water with pasta tongs, letting most of the water drip off, and place directly into the sauce. Stir until the pasta is thoroughly coated. Add a little more of the reserved pasta water if necessary.  Top with the sautéed shrimp and serve immediately for the best consistency.

Makes 4 servings