Recipe - Penne With Garlic Cilantro Cream

2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil;
divided
2 Shallots; minced
One fourth cup Chicken stock
1 Whole garlic bulb
One half cup Evaporated milk
1 tablespoon Cornstarch; diluted with
1 tablespoon Water
1 pound Penne pasta
One half pound Baby shrimp; 60/70 ct.,
peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoon Fresh cilantro leaves;
chopped
One half cup Freshly grated reggiano
parmesan cheese, optional

Roast the garlic or poach it. If you roast the garlic, it will have a
"nutty" flavor.

In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the shallots. When light
golden brown, add the chicken stock and peeled garlic. Bring to a boil and
add the milk and the diluted cornstarch. Put mixture in a blender and blend
thoroughly until very smooth. Strain through a fine sieve.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. In the meantime, in a saute
pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook the baby shrimp on both sides.
Add the creamy garlic mixture. Season with salt, pepper and cilantro.

Add the (optional) parmesan cheese, mix well. Add the penne and toss to
coat well. Serve immediately.

Roasting Method: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Do not remove the papery outer
skin from the garlic. With a very sharp knife, cut the garlic head in half
sideways. Set the garlic halves, cut side up, on a piece of aluminum foil,
then drizzle each half with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange sprigs of
rosemary on each half and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Close
the aluminum foil and roast for about 45 minutes, or until tender and
buttery.

Poaching Method: Separate the cloves of the head of garlic, but do not peel
them. Bring 2 small saucepans of water to boil, then put the garlic in one
of them. Poach for 7 minutes, then drain and return the garlic to the other
pot of boiling water. Let cook 7 minutes, then drain and return garlic to
the first pot, once again filled with boiling water, for final blanching.
This will eliminate any bitterness. Cool the garlic briefly, then slip the
cloves out of their skins.

This recipe may look complicated, but really, it is quite easy to prepare.
The key to its success is to either blanch or roast the garlic. Whichever
method you select, you are going to love it. If you do not have baby
shrimp, try to make it with chicken tenderloin ... it is also an incredible
dish.

Recipe by: Chef Jean Pierre (http://www.chefjeanpierre.com)

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #795 by MsRooby msrooby@blarg.net on Sep
21, 1997