Originally written April 2017 -
I love an invitation to get my feet under this guy’s table. Everything he cooks is full of heart and bursting with flavor. I had to ask him to be the first Whimsy Chef. He took it seriously, in a heartbeat he said he intended to cook Shrimp Greek Style with Rigatoni. “Whoa, that’s quite a mouthful”, I said. “Are you sure you don’t just want to call it Greek Shrimp Pasta”? Rookie move. WC recipes are not to be loosely interpreted, they are soulful, meaningful & cooked from the heart. Kyle Looney was the perfect chef for the starting line up of WC, his food story is quite simple and sweet; the legend continues while cooking with his wife and three lovely daughters. This recipe isn’t just a dish from his past, it’s symbolic of a father’s love.
In his words: “I first had this recipe when I was 7 or 8 at my Uncle’s house. It was the first dish I can ever remember thinking “that was the best thing I’ve ever tasted… I need more of that.” He lived (still does) close to Husky Stadium. After a game he, my dad, and myself walked back to his home and he whipped it up. Pretty much from that day on it was what I had for special occasions when I was with my dad and now with my own family.”
Shrimp Greek Style with Rigatoni is best described as a medium heat arrabbiata sauce combined with lightly sautéed shrimp and tangy feta, then baked off in the oven until bubbly and served over a bowl of rigatoni. This dish is simply perfect for the evenings that pasta is on the mind but a big, heavy ragu just won’t do. The sauce hits the trifecta of flavor, spicy, tangy and savory. It’s a win for all four seasons.
As you see below, the party begins while the dish bakes off in the oven; refill the drinks, dance with your partner, serve the kids first. Welcome to the table with the Looney Family. Cheers!
