Pasta with Beets, Shrimp & Kale

A couple weeks ago I got it into my head that shrimp & beets would be good together. I thought the sweetness of the beets would compliment the shrimp really well. Matt, on the other hand, was quite skeptical but I went ahead with this dish anyway.

There was a split decision on this dish at chez Good Appetite. I loved it. As I suspected the beets went perfectly with the shrimp & the tiny touch of heat from the red pepper gave it the perfect amount of zing. Matt was not wowed though & I put that down to the fact that he is not as big a fan of beets as I am.

Our dish ended up having a golden yellow color because we used golden beets. If you use red beets the end result will be pink.

Pasta with Beets, Shrimp & Kale

1/2 T olive oil
1/2 T butter
1 - 1 1/2 c golden beets, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 c white wine
1/4 c chicken broth
2 shallots, peeled & minced
1 large kale leaf (about 2 cups), stem removed & roughly chopped
4 oz angel hair pasta
16 shrimp, peeled (I used precooked shrimp but you can also use fresh)
1/8 - 1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
salt
Parmesan

Heat the olive oil & butter over high heat. Add the beets & cook until beginning to caramelize. Add the wine, broth, shallots & kale. Bring to a boil & reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the directions. Drain & return to the pot.

Remove the lid from the pot with the beets & stir in the shrimp & red pepper. Cook until the shrimp is warm if using cooked shrimp or cooked if using fresh. Season with salt. Stir this whole mixture into the pasta. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

2 servings