Mexican Street Corn & Shrimp Pasta

🥘 Ingredients

• bell pepper
  2 unit
• black pepper
• cooking oil
  4 tsp
• corn
  2 unit
• cream cheese
  4 tbsp
• cream sauce base
  8 oz
• dried oregano (use all for 4 servings)
  1 tsp
• garlic powder
  2 tsp
• hot smoked paprika (use all for 4 servings)
  1 tsp
• jalapeño (use the whole jalapeño for 4 servings)
  1 unit
• paper towels
• penne pasta
  12 oz
• pepper jack cheese
  1 c
• salt
• scallions (separate whites from greens)
  4 unit
• shrimp
  20 oz

🍳 Cookware

• medium pot
• large pan

1. 

   1

   Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Core, deseed, and finely dice bell pepper . Drain corn and pat dry with paper towels . Trim and thin-slice scallions . Mince half a jalapeño , removing ribs and seeds for less heat.

   bell pepper: 2 unit, corn: 2 unit, paper towels, scallions: 4 unit (separate whites from greens), jalapeño: 1 unit (use the whole jalapeño for 4 servings)
2. 

   2

   Once water is boiling, add penne pasta to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9 to 11 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water (1 cup for 4 servings), then drain. Rinse shrimp under cold water. Pat shrimp or chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and black pepper . Heat a drizzle of cooking oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp or chicken; cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 3-4 minutes for shrimp or 4-6 minutes for chicken. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.

   penne pasta: 12 oz, shrimp: 20 oz, salt, black pepper, cooking oil: 4 tsp
3. 

   3

   While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of cooking oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add bell pepper and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-7 minutes. Tip: If bell pepper starts to char, add a few splashes of water. Use the pan used for shrimp or chicken here.
4. 

   4

   Add a drizzle of cooking oil and corn to the pan with the bell pepper. Cook until corn is lightly charred, 2-3 minutes. Add scallion whites, garlic powder , half the dried oregano , and minced jalapeño to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in half the hot smoked paprika . Transfer ¼ of the vegetable mixture to a plate; reserve for serving.

   garlic powder: 2 tsp, dried oregano: 1 tsp (use all for 4 servings), hot smoked paprika: 1 tsp (use all for 4 servings)
5. 

   5

   Return the pan with remaining vegetables to stovetop over low heat. Stir in drained penne, cream sauce base , cream cheese , half the pepper jack, half the scallion greens, and ¼ cup reserved pasta water (½ cup for 4 servings). Cook, stirring, until cream cheese is just melted and pasta is coated in a creamy sauce. (For 4 servings, if the pan is too small, carefully transfer everything to the empty pot used for pasta.) Remove from heat; stir in 1 tb butter (2 tablespoons for 4 servings) until melted. Season generously with salt and pepper. Tip: If needed, add more reserved pasta water a splash at a time. Stir in the drained shrimp or chicken along with the penne.

   cream sauce base: 8 oz, cream cheese: 4 tbsp
6. 

   6

   Divide pasta between bowls. Top with pepper jack cheese and the reserved vegetables. Garnish with the remaining scallion greens and serve. Shrimp would be fully cooked when its internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.

   pepper jack cheese: 1 c