Shrimp in Rundown Sauce With Cavatelli
Fromcooking.nytimes.comRichly flavored rundown, popular across the Caribbean, is the result of gently simmering seafood in coconut milk and tomatoes with aromatics such as scallions, onion and garlic until the flavors are concentrated and intense. Some say it gets its name from the way it lightly runs down and coats any starch or protein with which it comes into contact. At her restaurant, Bywater American Bistro, the chef Nina Compton tosses shrimp and house-made gnocchi with a rundown sauce made with the shrimp shells and scented with ginger and lemongrass. Here it’s served with cavatelli or shell pasta and is every bit as delicious. Lime zest plus a garnish of mixed soft herbs such as basil, chives and dill brighten the dish and add a hint of freshness.
Step 1: Prepare the rundown sauce: Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells and refrigerating the shrimp. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high. Add the ginger, lemongrass and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the lemongrass is just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp shells, season lightly with salt and cook, stirring, until the shells turn pink, 2 to 4 minutes.
Step 2: Add the tomato paste, reduce the heat to medium, spread the paste in the Dutch oven and cook until it darkens in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk, stirring to dissolve the tomato paste. Add enough water to completely submerge the shrimp shells (about 3/4 cup).
Step 3: Bring the liquid to a boil. Simmer, pressing down on the shells frequently, until the stock is reduced to three-quarters of its original volume, 12 to 15 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a liquid measuring cup, pressing down on the solids to get out as much liquid as you can. Reserve the Dutch oven.
Step 4: Meanwhile, bring a pot filled with generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain the pasta.
Step 5: Set the reserved Dutch oven over medium heat and heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the scallions, season lightly with salt and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add the rundown sauce, increase the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp. Season lightly with salt and stir to coat the shrimp in sauce. Add the pasta and cook, stirring, until the shrimp are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. If at any point the liquid starts to dry out before the shrimp is cooked through, use the reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup at a time) to loosen up the sauce and prevent the pasta from burning or sticking to the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Step 6: Remove from heat, zest the lime directly over the pasta and slice the lime into wedges. Add the butter to the pasta and stir to coat. Serve immediately, with a shower of mixed herbs and the lime wedges for squeezing.