Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Garlic and herb shrimp pasta

shrimp pasta 1
Learning to live on a budget is an ongoing, ever humbling lesson spawned since getting married. I am so thankful for the husband who is the financial planner in our little family because he takes the lead to keep our financial priorities in check by constantly evaluating whether we are stewarding the funds graciously given to us with an eternal perspective. Our grocery budget is larger than most families of two, primarily because we enjoy hosting dear guests on a constant basis. Once, the father-in-law went grocery shopping with us and asked as we were checking out, “Do you always buy enough food for a month in one trip?” We replied, “This is for a week.” His eyes bugged out, and he probably assumes we are on the path to Type II diabetes to this day.
shrimp pasta 4
We customarily carve out a block of time to head to the grocery store every weekend for the week's produce. Sometimes, that doesn't happen. This past weekend was one of those times. In an effort to be resourceful this week, I compiled the following dinner from arbitrary edibles tucked away in the little home: a package of shrimp from Costco, whole-wheat spaghetti noodles given to us by my grandmama who oft receives such complimentary foodstuffs as a senior, leftover fresh parsley from baking savory treats this past weekend, a few shallots sitting in the fridge, lemons from the mother-in-law’s backyard, an almost empty jar of capers, and items we always have on hand: extra virgin olive oil, fresh Parmesan and Romano cheeses, and garlic. I attempted to recreate a tasty pasta entrĂ©e we love to order at Italian restaurants: shrimp linguine with a simple but delicious white wine sauce that tastes much like an herb-packed broth. We didn't have white wine, so I added a squeeze of lemon for acidity, along with a few other adaptations, and it was still wholeheartedly delicious. The light but flavorful sauce made the dish a new favorite and as we gobbled it all up, we agreed that the challenge to create dishes from found items in the fridge is a welcomed one.
shrimp pasta 3
Garlic and Herb Shrimp Pasta (loosely adapted from here)
Ingredients:
1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
5 tbsp garlic, minced
3 large shallots, sliced thinly
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup water (reserved from boiled pasta)
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp capers
At least 1/3 cup fresh Parmesan and Romano cheeses, grated
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 servings whole-wheat spaghetti pasta
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
1. Boil a large pot of water. Heat pasta until cooked al dente. When pasta is done, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and shock it with cold water. Set aside.
2. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Soften (but don't brown) garlic and shallots in skillet for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add shrimp, and stir into oil mixture.Add parsley, and stir to combine. Add lemon juice, pasta water, and capers. Stir to combine until shrimp are just cooked. Remove from heat and season sauce with plenty of freshly ground pepper and some sea salt to taste.
4. Toss garlic and herb sauce with pasta, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses. Top with a sprinkling of fresh parsley (and crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick) and serve immediately.

17 comments:

  1. I am officially drooling, at the office. Thank you ;)

    I am saving this recipe to my computer now... wow!! Shrimp pasta is my FAV!

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  2. yummy! I love that you are still taking care of yourselves but make an effort to enjoy things in your life like hosting for dinner parties. This recipe looks and sounds delicious. =)
    xo,
    nancy

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  3. This looks amazing. Our grocery bill is a huge chunk of our spending every month. We just don't like to skimp on our food. ;)

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  4. this looks amazing. When i have to pull things together from a fridge it never looks this fancy!

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  5. Oh my, that looks delicious! I'm craving~

    & I hardly ever eat at home >,< If anything, I'll only have breakfast but, that's just oatmeal and some various fruits. Come to think of it, that's all I have in my fridge- fruits, juice and water. Wish I had someone cooking for me all the time ^.^


    Anyhow, very yummy post, by the way~

    xoxo
    EV

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  6. Wah that looks so delicious. Pasta + shrimp + parmesan...I'm in love.
    Anyways, ah, that's a concern that I try not to think about as I'm still in college...but already, I'm feeling the budgeting cramp. Have to be careful when I eat out and what to buy when I'm able to get to the supermarket for food. Too much thinking. Bah.

    X i x i a ❥ thisisxixia.com

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  7. What a beautiful plate of pasta! Looks light and yummy.

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  8. i don't eat shrimp, but it looks yummy! i also love the plate!

    lindsey louise

    hellomrrabbit.blogspot.com

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  9. Oh wow, that looks positively delicious. If shrimp weren't so pricey in my city, I'd cook that every night.

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  10. Just came across your blog and wanted to tell you that this looks AMAZING. Thank you for posting the recipe! I need to be better at dinners. You seem like the best wife ever. I have never made something that looks this good!

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  11. I totally had to do this last night as well - i ended up making pasta with garlic, butter and cheese. Yum!

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  12. as far as "being resourceful" goes, I think you have that down pretty well.
    what a great wife!
    how long have you guys been married?
    (we're working on our 6th week here, and I think I need to learn from you!)

    love this!

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  13. I love a light pasta dish! This sounds so yummy, and I am definitely adding this to my “make list”. I found your blog, and I really love it! Bookmarking it.

    xo everything-pretty.com

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  14. Just found your sweet little blog today, and have had such a lovely visit here! This linguini sounds divine! And anybody who loves hospitality, is an instant friend :-). So nice to "meet" you today...

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  15. This looks scrumptious! I wish I could stick a fork in my monitor and grab some. Thanks for sharing your recipe! Living on a budget can be a challenge but cooking your own meals definitely helps.

    Rowena @ rolala loves
    Enter my Blogiversary Giveaway!

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  16. omy this looks delicious!!!! I am definitely trying this!
    I am late catching up on your blog, yours is always on my list to read, :)
    always a pleasure
    I love love love it

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  17. Yum!! That looks delish!! Need to try it out!

    xx
    Giovanna
    www.oliveandanarrow.com

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