Sauteed Shrimp with Clam Sauce on Pasta

In round two of my clean out the pantry ala "Chopped" I decided to hit a freezer and 3 pantry items.  I know I have said this before but I really need to stop shopping like I am stocking for Armageddon.  I like fresh food.  I have had 2 of the pantry items since before I started this blog, and they weren't going to get used unless I made a concerted effort to use up all that garbage that I, in a fit of insanity, bought.  Well I was prepared to skip posting a recipe tonight, as I was totally throwing things together like some mad potion maker and praying for the best.  I was sure I was skipping the post when I forgot the order of operations I had planned out.  Well, what's that saying from Star Trek TNG?  "Luck... protects fools, small children and ships named Enterprise"  As I am not a small child, I am hoping that the universe mistook me for a ship because I think the end dish was wonderful and I feel really lucky considering.  I had planned to saute the onions, add the shrimp, then garlic.  Remove shrimp and deglaze and make the sauce.  Now I know the order is only slightly different, but I was worried I would burn the 'fond' and make a burnt tasting sauce. How and why it worked out for me on a night that it appeared luck had forsaken me, I will never know.  All I know is I want this again:)


Sauteed Shrimp with Clam Sauce on Pasta

1 Tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
20 large shrimp
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoon vermouth
3 cloves garlic, minced
6.5 oz can clams in clam juice
1/4 c flour for dusting the shrimp
1/2 bag of egg noodles
1/2 stick butter, unsalted


Put a pot of water on to boil and salt well.  Pat dry the shrimp on paper towels. Dust the shrimp with a light coating of flour and shake off any excess. (if your family is eating on time, start pasta here) Heat a pan over (avoid nonstick if you can) medium heat. Add the tablespoon of butter and oil. Saute the shrimp for 2 minutes on one side.  They should be a golden color.  Turn the shrimp over and cook another minute or until they are almost done.  Add 1 TBSP of the vermouth and shake to loosen the shrimp from the pan.  Cook for 30 seconds. Remove them from the pan.  Add the onion to the pan and use them and the steam they release to scrape up the bits sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Saute until they are soft.  (at this point I was going to add the garlic but forgot.  The end result was tasty so I am writing the recipe with mistakes and all)  Add the other tablespoon of vermouth and the clam juice from the canned clams. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to get up all the bits stuck to the bottom.  Realize you forgot the garlic and add it to the pan.  Cook a minute or two or until the liquid has mostly evaporated.  (at this point I set it aside on warm to wait for the boys to get home from soccer.  I started the pasta when they were on their way and finished the sauce)  Add 1/4 cup (up to1/2 if necessary) of the pasta water to the sauce.  Cook until some of the liquid has evaporated and you have a thin sauce.  Add the shrimp and the clams to the sauce and just warm them through.  Take off heat and add the 1/2 stick of butter.  Stir until it is melted and taste.  Adjust for salt and pepper.  Toss in the shrimp and sauce with the pasta.