Recipe

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• 1/2 cup packed fresh thai basil
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tb olive oil, divided
• 2 tbsp minced shallots
• 2 tbsp minced lemongrass
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 (8 oz) bottles clam juice
• 1/2 cup shaoxing wine
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 lb spaghetti
• 24 uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 1 tbsp shichimi togarashi

• 1 Blanch basil in small saucepan of boiling water 5 seconds; drain. Squeeze water from basil; place in blender. Add 1/4 cup oil and pinch of salt and blend until smooth. Strain basil oil into small pitcher. (Do ahead: Basil oil can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill).
• 2 Heat 1 Tb oil in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallot, lemongrass, and garlic; saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add clam juice and Shaoxing. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Add cream; simmer sauce until reduced to 1 3/4 cups, about 20 minutes.
• 3 Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
• 4 Meanwhile, sprinkle shrimp with shichimi togarashi and salt. Heat 2 Tb oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook until opaque in center, turning once, about 5 minutes.
• 5 Drain pasta; transfer to large bowl. Reheat sauce. Toss pasta with sauce. Place shrimp atop pasta; drizzle with basil oil.