A Little Luxury And Blue Collar On A Friday Night

Every once in awhile we all nee a little spoiling right?  So why not on a Friday night?  I mean, we're already celebrating because......well...... it's Friday.  In my previous post I just so happened to say that another fungi friend would be visiting a blog near you, and what better day for a visit than Friday.  When those lovely Portabella mushrooms found their way into my grocery cart so did one of their cousins, the Chanterelle.  You might ask, what is so luxurious about a Chanterelle?  Well, they're expensive, very expensive in fact (well at least they are here), so I would say that qualifies them as a luxury.  So going with that theme I had to use these beauties in a way that would do them justice, and since I am a big pasta fan, I wanted to facilitate a luxurious ( I know I am overdoing this word.......but screw it, its a great word) marriage between these two. 
Trying to come up with a recipe for this was a little difficult, because I didn't want just pasta and mushrooms.  It needed to be more..........and quite frankly I was feeling a little naughty, and since I am already the size of a Macy's day float I figured I would go for the gusto.  These mushrooms had to be paired with of course lots of butter and cream.........but what else to add?  And then it dawned on me, I had bought some Langostino tails the other day and they just so happened to be sitting in my freezer, unused (how that happened I don't know).  Now if you haven't had Langostino tails before they are kinda of a marriage between a prawn and a lobster, firmer in texture like a prawn, but sweet in flavor like lobster.  I like to refer to them as blue collar lobster (I say this with great affection).  So there it was, Chanterelles with butter, cream, and Langostino tails over pasta.........a pairing of luxury and blue collar....a marriage made in heaven.

Linguine With Chanterelles and Langostino

1 lb Chanterelle mushrooms sliced
1 lb Langostino Tails
3 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon zested and juiced
1 cup white wine (I like Pinot Grigio)
1/12 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons salt (I use Kosher salt)
1 teaspoon pepper
1 lb Linguine

In a large stockpot heat water until boiling.  While the water is coming to a boil heat butter and olive oil in a large saucepan on medium heat until the butter is melted.  Add garlic and cook until the garlic is tender, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.  Saute the mushrooms until they are tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the lemon zest and wine and reduce slightly, about 2 minutes. 

Add the Langostino tails and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.  Add the cream and remaining salt and pepper.  Reduce the sauce until it is slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes, and then add the parsley.  Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside. 

Salt the water in the stockpot and cook the pasta until it is al dente, about 8 minutes.  Once the pasta is done, drain and reserve about a cup of the pasta water.  Toss the pasta with the sauce and add about 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice.  Toss in the Parmesan cheese, adding the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

After having this I can say with the utmost certainty that I am a fungi lover, and must have more.  Maybe I could go all wilderness girl and forage for my own Chanterelles...........wouldn't that be an embarrassingly amusing blog entry.