Bacon makes everything better. It's salty, meaty, greasy taste is inexplicably delicious. My husband and I's one great indulgence, other then a scoop of ice cream every night, would be bacon. We definitely eat more bacon then we should. Breakfast, sometimes lunch, and even sometimes with dinner. I know, I know, it's really terrible for you. But we just can't get enough. For this dinner, I tried to mimic a favorite meal I order at an Italian restaurant near our home. They use prosciutto and mozzarella cheese to wrap the shrimp, but I only had bacon and muenster so thats what I used. I added the asparagus because I felt it needed a vegetable and frankly it's also what I had on hand. I dressed the pasta with only a little bit of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese to keep it simple since most of the flavor comes from the bacon wrapped shrimp & asparagus. It's a simple, yet delicious dish, that puts on a pretty fancy presentation too.
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp & Asparagus
Begin by laying your asparagus on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes in 350 degree oven, till tender. Egg and flour each shrimp twice, to create a good covering for frying. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan till smoking; place shrimp in the oil. Once shrimps begin to turn pink, flip and cook the other side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Once the asparagus has been cooked, slice in half. Take one shrimp and the two halves of the asparagus and wrap with strip of muenster cheese and microwavable bacon. It's best to use microwavable bacon in this case because it's pre-cooked and you are just reheating it in the oven. Use a toothpick to secure and make sure it doesn't unravel as it bakes. Place in the already preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and shrimp is cooked thoroughly. In the meantime boil and cook the pasta. Once done toss with olive oil, fresh lemon juice and parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
Place a heaping pile of pasta on the plate and on top, the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp & Asparagus. Remember to remove the toothpick before presenting your dish. The cheese helps ensure the bacon won't unravel. Although there are many flavors in this dish, they all meld very nicely together. I even think that the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp & Asparagus could be made as an appetizer without the pasta.
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp & Asparagus
Makes: 6 servings | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 bundle of asparagus
3 tbs and 1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
12 large shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 strips of microwavable bacon
6 slices of muenster cheese, cut in 1/2 lengthwise
1 package angel hair pasta
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Begin by laying your asparagus on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender.
2. Drop the shrimp in the beaten egg, then toss in the flour, repeat. Do this with all 12 shrimp. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a sauté pan till smoking; place shrimp in the oil. Once shrimps begin to turn pink, flip and brown the other side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
3. Once the asparagus has been cooked, slice in half. Take one shrimp and the two halves of the asparagus and wrap with a strip of muenster cheese and microwavable bacon. It's best to use microwavable bacon in this case because it's pre-cooked and you are just reheating it in the oven. Use a toothpick to secure and make sure it doesn't unravel as it bakes. Place in the already preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and shrimp is cooked thoroughly.
4. In the meantime boil and cook the pasta according to the package. Once done toss with remaining olive oil, fresh lemon juice and parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
