Ingredients

1/2 pound linguine

　　3/4 pound medium shrimp (about 24), shelled, leaving tails intact, and deveined if desired

　　1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

　　1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

　　1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth

　　1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 3/4 cup)

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste

　　1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste

　　1/2 cup chicken broth

　　1 medium fennel bulb (sometimes called anise, about 1 pound), trimmed and chopped coarse

　　1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips

　　1 tablespoon very hot water

　　1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads

　　a 14- to 16-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped, or 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered

　　1 cup fish stock (available at many fish markets and specialty food shops) or bottled clam juice

　　1/2 pound fresh spinach, coarse stems discarded, washed well, spun dry, and chopped coarse (about 4 cups packed)

　　1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

　　

Step 1

Put a kettle of water on to boil for cooking linguine.

　　

Step 2

In a bowl toss shrimp with 1 teaspoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a 12-inch non-stick skillet over moderately high heat until hot enough to make drops of water scatter and sauté shrimp in 2 batches until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes on each side, transferring as cooked to a plate.

　　

Step 3

To skillet add wine and boil until most is evaporated. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil, onion, garlic, remaining 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened. In a bowl whisk together tomato paste and chicken broth and add to skillet with fennel and bell pepper. Simmer mixture, covered, until fennel is tender, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 4

In a very small bowl or ramekin combine hot water and saffron.

　　

Step 5

While fennel mixture is simmering, add salt to taste and linguine to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain linguine well in a colander and return to kettle. Toss linguine with saffron mixture until evenly coated and keep warm.

　　

Step 6

To simmering fennel mixture add tomatoes and fish stock and simmer 2 minutes. Add shrimp and spinach and cook, covered, until just heated through until spinach is slightly wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. To pasta add vegetable mixture, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste and toss well.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Each serving: 387 calories

　　4.9 gram fat

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by Gourmet