GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn -- Bobby Jensen is sharing a recipe for one of his favorite dishes.
Shrimp with Fennel-Cream Sauce and Penne Pasta:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon EVOO
1 cup vegetable stock
1 medium bulb fennel, thinly sliced
1 head spring garlic or hard neck garlic, cloves peeled and thinly sliced
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and ground white pepper
1 pound penne pasta
1 pound uncooked peeled shrimp
Garnish:
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Chopped fennel fronds
Chopped fresh Basil
Directions
For the pasta: Meanwhile,heat the butter and EVOO in a saucepan over medium-low to medium heat. Add the fennel, garlic and onions and cook very slowly until they are very sweet and soft, 20 to 25 minutes (do not let the onions brown). Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
Transfer the fennel mixture to a blender or food processor and add the heavy cream and 1 cup vegetable stock. Puree until smooth, then return the mixture to the pot, season with salt and white pepper and simmer over low heat to thicken the sauce a little, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the shrimp to the sauce
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and season with salt. Cook the pasta until al dente (8 minutes). Scoop out a bit of the cooking liquid and add it to the sauce to thin it slightly. Drain the pasta, then add it to the sauce and toss to combine. Garnish the pasta with the pine nuts, cheese, fennel fronds and Basil.
Aphrodisiac Foods in Bobby's Dinner
• Basil (sweet basil)
Is said to stimulate the sex drive and boost fertility. It is also said to produce a general sense of well being for body and mind.
• Fennel
In the 1930's fennel was found to be a source of natural plant estrogens. The use of fennel as an aphrodisiac dates back to the Egyptian times where it was used as "libido enhancement".
• Garlic
The 'heat' in garlic is said to stir sexual desires. Make sure you and your partner share it together. Garlic has been used for centuries to cure everything from the common cold to heart ailments. This is a good time for moderation. Enjoy a pasta with a lightly garlicky sauce and it and lead up to something spicy in the bedroom later.
• Pine Nuts
Zinc is a key mineral necessary to maintain male potency and pine nuts are rich in zinc. Pine nuts have been used to stimulate the libido as far back as Medieval times. Serve pine nut cookies with a dark espresso for a stimulating dessert.