Crawfish à la crème with Shitake Mushroom Fettuccini

Crawfish à la crème with Shitake Mushroom Fettuccini

A rich, creamy sherry sauce folded into sweet, tender crawfish and earthy mushroom infused pasta is by far one of my favorite, decadent bites. When you order the dish in a restaurant, though, it’s often weighed down by unnecessary fat and calories, causing you to feel uncomfortable by the time you’re finished eating it.

Not wanting to give up on this delectable dish, I came up with this lightened version, replacing the heavy cream with reduced fat half and half and using light butter and heart-healthy olive oil. The sauce still has the rich, flavorful taste you look forward to, but you walk away from the table without any of the guilt!

Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, finely minced
1 pound fresh crawfish tail meat
1 pound shitake mushroom fettuccini
2 cups reduced fat half and half
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup mushroom and garlic infused olive oil
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 tablespoons of light butter
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

1) Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.

2) Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook the vegetables until they are soft, about 3-5 minutes.

3) Stir in the crawfish meat and cook for 5 minutes.

4) Add the half and half, sherry, Parmesan and half of the parsley to the pan.

5) Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir the sauce until it has thickened, about 5 minutes.

6) Season the sauce with the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

7) Gently fold in the cooked pasta until coated with the sauce.

8) To serve, transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl and top it with another large pinch of the fresh parsley and Parmesan.

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