Rotini with Garlic Shrimp and Arugula Sauce

The summer always makes me think of fresh pasta dishes, and this arugula pasta sauce is as fresh as it gets. The baby arugula adds a peppery, nutty flavour to this uncooked sauce and it is filled with vitamins C and A. Since the sauce is uncooked you benefit from all the nutrients in the vegetables. Once vegetables are cooked they began to loose nutritional value. Of course cooked vegetables are still very nutritious, so there is no need to go on the raw food diet.

Since the arugula sauce is uncooked make sure you have all your ingredients prepared, as you will use the cooked pasta to heat the sauce once you toss it all together.

Rotini with Garlic Shrimp and Arugula Sauce
Serves 4

Garlic Shrimp

• 1 lb of jumbo black tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  
• salt and pepper

Pasta Sauce

• 3 ripe plum tomatoes
• 4 cups of lightly packed baby arugula
• 1 cup of lightly packed parsley leaves
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup of vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup of whipping cream
• 2 garlic cloves
• 450 grams of rotini pasta
  
• 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add all the ingredients of the garlic shrimp into a bowl and mix together well. Set aside.
   
2. Seed and dice tomatoes; there should be about 2 cups. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pasta pasta pot half filled with salted water to boil; cook rotini according to package or until al dente.
4. Meanwhile place the shrimp onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 7-9 minutes or until pink and firm.
   
5. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce by adding arugula and parsley in a blender jar with olive oil, salt and pepper. Combine broth, cream and garlic and heat on high in a microwave for about 60 seconds or until very hot but not boiling. Pour over leaves in the blender; whirl, stopping to scrape down side until a somewhat thin sauce forms.
   
6. Once the rotini has been cooked and drained add the arugula sauce and toss until coated. Add the tomatoes, about half the cheese and all of the pine nuts. Toss and serve in warm bowls or plates and top each plate with about 7 or 8 pieces of shrimp. Pass around the remaining Parmesan cheese.

Recipe adapted from Food and Drink Magazine