Christopher Weathered, chef and co-owner of Mill and Main in Kerhonkson, N.Y., offers his own version of a dish that’s popular among West Indians in New York City, who drew inspiration from their Italian neighbors and their noodles to develop this dish.
He starts by sautéing thinly sliced red and green bell peppers and red onions in olive oil, then adding tomato paste and dry jerk seasoning (thyme, allspice, cloves, chili powder, cayenne, sugar, and pimiento).
Once the tomato paste browns and coats the peppers and onions, he deglazes with white wine, cooks it for a minute or two and then adds heavy cream followed by shrimp.
Once the shrimp is pink he adds rigatoni pasta, binding it together with a little pasta water and finishing it with salt and pepper. He plates it with a lime wedge and cilantro.
“This menu item is personally special because it truly embodies who I am culturally and as a cook,” Weathered said. “My background is Italian, Colombian and West Indian. I love pasta and the flavors of the Caribbean, so being able to showcase such a meaningful dish here is very unique and also an unusual one for our customers to experience.”
Price: $25