Serves 3
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic
1 tbsp shallots
12 whole cherry tomatoes
12 large prawns, heads on and seasoned with salt and pepper
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup chicken stock
12 asparagus, peeled and cut into thirds
1/2 pound orecchiette pasta, cooked
8 fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan, shaved
1 piece burrata, cut in thirds Parsley
Heat olive oil on high in a large sauté pan. Add garlic, shallots, and cherry tomatoes and sauté. Add prawns and lemon zest. Cook prawns until pink and remove heads. Add stock to garlic and shallot mixture, simmer, and reduce. Reserve mixture on side.
Add shrimp heads to duck press or cheesecloth. Press until juices are extracted and reserve.
In a medium sauté pan, sauté asparagus with asparagus butter (see recipe below). Add in cooked pasta and season to taste. Finish reduction by adding prawn juice, shrimp meat, butter, fresh basil leaves, salt, and pepper.
Place asparagus pasta on bottom of each dish. Spoon finished prawn sauce and prawns on pasta. Then spoon the other reduction sauce with garlic, shallot, tomatoes, and lemon zest to pasta. Finish by topping with Parmesan, burrata, and parsley.
Asparagus Butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 bunch asparagus, peeled and stems trimmed
1 shallot, minced
1 lb butter
1/4 cup minced spinach
Sauté chicken stock with asparagus and shallots and bring to a boil. Add butter and minced spinach. Place in a container and chill.
FROM: Executive Decisions: As seen on TV!
Created by Chef Burke during Top Chef Masters episodes, these recipes were reinterpreted by each of his executive chefs for Chef Burke’s restaurants and served exclusively for one week after the episode on which each was featured aired.
