This recipe makes more bonito butter than you need. Use the smoky, slightly salty mixture to top your next steak, or to sauté greens.

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　

For the bonito butter

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

　　1/4 cup bonito flakes

　　

For assembly

2 teaspoons dried shrimp

　　12 ounces fresh or dried capellini, tagliatelle, or fettuccine, preferably egg-enriched

　　Kosher salt

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 red chile (such as Holland or Fresno), seeds removed, finely chopped

　　2 wide strips lemon zest, thinly sliced

　　1/2 pound rock shrimp or other small shrimp, peeled and deveined, cut into small pieces

　　1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon

　　1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

　　2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced

　　

Special Equipment

A spice mill or mortar and pestle

　　

Make the bonito butter:

Step 1

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, then add bonito flakes; swirl butter to combine. Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes to infuse.

　　

Step 2

Strain butter through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing on solids; discard bonito flakes. Cover and chill butter until ready to use.

　　

To assemble:

Step 3

Finely grind dried shrimp in spice mill or with mortar and pestle; set aside for serving.

　　

Step 4

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes if using fresh pasta, longer if dried. Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking liquid.

　　

Step 5

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add chile and lemon zest and cook, stirring, 20 seconds. Add rock shrimp and cook, tossing, 1 minute. Add tarragon, lemon juice, pasta, 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, and 3 Tbsp. bonito butter and toss to coat. Cook, tossing and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce is glossy and coats pasta and shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt if needed.

　　

Step 6

Divide pasta among bowls and top with scallions and reserved dried shrimp.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories (kcal) 630 Fat (g) 32 Saturated Fat (g) 16 Cholesterol (mg) 135 Carbohydrates (g) 66 Dietary Fiber (g) 4 Total Sugars (g) 4 Protein (g) 20 Sodium (mg) 330