I get to keep a cookbook! Linguine with Shrimp, Garlic, and Lemon

I absolutely adore America's Test Kitchen. If you've never been introduced to them, let me tell you about them. They take a food, let's for this example say brownies and they try every possible recipe they can find and they test it and tweak it until they come up with the absolute best possible brownie recipe you can imagine. They do all the hard work for you! They also test different products and find the best tomato sauce, paring knife, barbecue sauce, etc.

I have several cookbooks from them and I have never tried a recipe from them that didn't come out as delicious as I wanted it to be. You know how sometimes you'll take a gamble and try and recipe and it just doesn't taste good at all? I hate that because, one, you just wasted a bunch of money to buy all the ingredients for something that you aren't even going to bother saving the leftovers of because they're nasty. and two, because you feel jipped, why did someone even bother to write down this recipe and lead you to believe it would be a good idea to cook it? It's disgusting!

I love using the recipes from their cookbooks because I know that whatever it is, it is going to come out great. I used to subscribe to their magazine, "Cooks Illustrated", which I need to do again. The subscription is a little pricey because they have absolutely no advertising in the magazine. They have a show on PBS too. (check your local listings :P)

Anyway the reason I'm mentioning this is because the first recipe I tried was from "The Best 30 Minute Recipe" It is Linguine with Shrimp, Garlic, and Lemon and it is divine! I made it for our special Valentines day dinner, I also had leftovers of it last night and it heats up great too. I wish I would have taken pictures for you but I didn't, sorry! I'll try to do better next time!

So, If you are interested, here's the recipe:

Linguine with Shrimp, Garlic, and Lemon
Serves 4 to 6
The key to moist, tender shrimp is to finish cooking them off the heat, so be sure to follow the visual cues in the recipe.

1 1/4 pounds (31/40) shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon sugar
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, minced
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water
1 pound linguine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup minced parsley

1. boil water for pasta
2. Saute' Shrimp: pat shrimp dry with paper towels, then season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and sugar. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to brown. Add shrimp, spread into single layer, and cook without stirring for 1 minute. Stir shrimp and continue to cook until spotty brown and just pink at edges, about 30 seconds. Transfer shrimp to clean bowl, cover and set aside.

3. Make sauce: Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to skillet and melt over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine and cook until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and dissolved cornstarch mixture and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, cover, and set aside.

4. Cook and drain pasta: Add linguine and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water, then drain linguine and return linguine to pot.

5. Toss pasta with Shrimp and sauce: Stir remaining 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, parsley, sauce and reserved shrimp, including any accumulated juices, into linguine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adding reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen sauce. Serve immediately.