Pene Pasta with a Leek and Jalapeno Cream Sauce

This dish was inspired by a trip to Baja California where I had a wonderful plate of tequila jalapeno cream sauce with shrimp and scallops. I’ve created a vegetarian version using leeks instead of seafood and Frey wine in place of tequila.  It turned out very tasty!

Ingredients:

2 cups leeks, cleaned and sliced in 2 inch strips
2 cups sliced red pepper, remove seeds
2 portabella mushrooms, slice in strips.
1/2 cup sliced jalapeno. Cut in half, de seed, wash, and cut into strips.
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 pound penne pasta. Cook, drain, keep warm and set aside.
1 1/3 cups cream
1 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1 cup Frey Chardonnay
3 tablespoons sweet butter
2 tablespoons lime juice from fresh lime
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large sauté pan with the butter on med high to high heat.  Add the leeks, red peppers, mushrooms and jalapenos.  Sauté a few minutes until almost done.  Deglaze with the wine and add the lime juice.  Cook down for a minute or so and add the cream.  Reduce until the cream sauce thickens.  Add half the grated cheese and half the cilantro.  Stir and add salt and pepper to taste.  Mix the sauce into the pasta and put in large serving bowl.  Garnish with the rest of the grated cheese and cilantro.  It you like it spicier, garnish with fresh chopped jalapeno.

Enjoy!