Saffron shrimp with mushrooms is a quick creamy pasta built from sweet onions, browned mushrooms, basil and Parmesan. The saffron goes into the sauce after the shrimp have nearly cooked, giving the sour cream a warm colour without subjecting the spice to a long boil. This recipe serves four.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 6 medium mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 300g pasta
- 20 medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon mild red pepper or paprika
- a generous pinch of saffron, brewed in 2 tablespoons hot water
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
- salt and black pepper
The inherited translation lists “potatoes,” but its instruction to boil the 300g ingredient for three minutes, drain it and toss it with sauce describes pasta. Raw potatoes cannot safely or pleasantly cook through in that time. Fresh pasta may take about three minutes; dried pasta should follow the package timing.
Brew the saffron and prepare the shrimp
Cover the ground saffron with two tablespoons hot water and leave it for 10–15 minutes. A concentrated infusion distributes more evenly in the small amount of sauce than dry threads. Our saffron brewing guide gives a reliable method.
Pat the shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Keep raw shrimp and its utensils away from the basil, cheese and other ready-to-eat ingredients.
Caramelise the onion and mushrooms
Melt the butter in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion, mushrooms and brown sugar with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and golden and the moisture from the mushrooms has cooked away.
The teaspoon of sugar supports browning but should not make the sauce taste sweet. If the pan begins to catch, lower the heat instead of adding more sugar.
Cook the pasta
While the onions brown, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just tender. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain.
Fresh pasta may be ready in roughly three minutes. Most dried shapes take longer, so use their package time and taste a piece before draining. Short shapes, linguine and tagliatelle all work; choose one that can carry the light sauce.
Cook the shrimp gently
Move the onion and mushrooms to the edge of the pan. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook over medium heat for about one minute on the first side. Turn and cook for another minute, just until the surfaces begin to turn opaque.
Stir in the red pepper and saffron infusion. Let it bubble gently for no more than a minute. Shrimp cook quickly and become rubbery if left for five minutes after they are already pink; take the pan off the heat once the centres are pearly and opaque.
Finish the saffron mushroom sauce
Put the sour cream in a small bowl and loosen it with two tablespoons of warm pasta water. Stir that mixture into the pan off the heat so it stays smooth. Add the drained pasta, Parmesan and basil, then toss gently.
If the sauce seems tight, add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time. Taste before adding salt because Parmesan contributes its own. Return the pan to very low heat only if necessary; do not allow the sour cream sauce to boil hard.
Serve and store
Divide the pasta among warm bowls and spoon the shrimp saffron with mushrooms over the top so each serving receives both shrimp and vegetables. Finish with a little basil and Parmesan rather than a heavy garnish.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within two days. Reheat gently with a spoonful of water, stopping as soon as hot; prolonged reheating will overcook the shrimp. The dish is best made fresh.
The final balance should be savoury and aromatic: sweet onion, earthy mushrooms, warm saffron, bright basil and enough sour cream to bind the pasta without turning it into a heavy sauce.
