Summer is here and lighter, brighter food is always a welcome addition to the Kitchen of Love. This dish started with a new Aldi Find. Most people know about Aldi. They offer a finite selection of staples, but they also have their Specially Selected items. These can be all kinds of items from soup to nuts, from cheese to seafood. They are usually only around for a short time and once they are gone, they may never return.
As I glanced through the pasta and sauce aisle, I came upon a new and intriguing Pesto. This one was lemon and who doesn’t love the taste of lemon?
This little jar gave a hint of summer to the recipe that I am sharing. The lemon flavor was subtle, but there was a nice balance of herb and garlic and a very creamy texture that tasted of cheese and possibly ricotta. The dish I came up with used the whole jar and got some help from fresh lemon zest. So now, without further ado, let’s meet the rest of the players. Everything else in this dish came from my pantry, fridge, or freezer.
The Shrimp were Argentine Red (16-20 size). I have been liking these more and more lately. They have an almost lobster like flavor and are very tender when gently cooked. The pasta was Whole Wheat from DeLallo probably around 8 ounces. 
As this was a make do with what’s on hand dinner, I used a bag of frozen California Medley Vegetables. It’s a versatile blend of broccoli, carrots and cauliflower, but another vegetable blend would also work. This would also be very good with fresh vegetables of your choice.
While the pasta was cooking, I prepped the Shrimp. I have been using this method of cooking shrimp lately. Thanks to Christine Pittman ‘s Cook the Story. https://cookthestory.com/garlic-butter-argentine-red-shrimp/. The shrimp are gently cooked in garlic butter and always turn out tender and flavorful. 
Once the shrimp were cooked, I transferred them to a plate and added the thawed and drained vegetables to the pan of garlic infused butter and let them gently cook to tender crisp. The addition of some lemon zest gave everything a little more zing. 
When the pasta was cooked, I drained it saving a generous half cup of pasta water. And now it was time to put the whole dish together. I added the pasta to the vegetables and then added the whole jar of lemon pesto. I tossed everything together adding enough of the reserved pasta water to create the perfect amount of sauciness. The shrimp came back into the pan and I added a good handful of Pecorino Romano. A few gentle tosses and a little heat and it was ready to eat.
This was a quick and easy almost one pot meal. Perfect for a Summer supper.
It paired perfectly with a light Italian Vermentino (this particular one came from Trader Joe’s, when I last checked it was not in stock). This varietal is available at larger wine and liquor stores.
Here is the recipe ready to be made to your liking.
- 1 Pound Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined 16-20 size
- 8 Ounces Spaghetti or Linguine
- 4 Tbsp. Butter
- 6 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Bag (10oz.) California Medley Vegetables Thawed and drained
- 1-2 Tsp. Lemon Zest
- 1 Jar Aldi Lemon Pesto
- 1/3-1/2 Cup Pasta Water
- 1/3 Cup Pecorino Romano Plus more for the table
- Salt and Pepper to taste
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook about 1 minute shy of done. While the pasta cooks, Cook the shrimp.
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Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Add the minced garlic and cook gently until it is soft and fragrant, but not browned.
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Add the shrimp and gently cook until they are just translucent and curling slightly. Remove the (and any clinging garlic) shrimp from the pan and set aside. Reserve the butter and some of the garlic in the pan.
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Add the thawed and drained vegetables to the pan. Toss with the butter and garlic and cook until they are tender crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest and toss to combine
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When the pasta is cooked, reserve a half cup or so of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
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Return the shrimp and garlic to the vegetables in the pan. Add the pasta and the entire jar of the Lemon Pesto to the pan. Toss everything gently, adding pasta water to create a light creamy sauce..
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When everything is combined, add about half of the Pecorino and toss once more. Continue to cook until everything is hot and the cheese has melted. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
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Top with the remaIning cheese and serve.
Here’s to summer, lemons, and shrimp. Enjoy!
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Grilling gives them wonderful flavor that works well in many dishes. Pasta is always at the top of my list followed by serving them on their own as a scrumptious finger food. For something entirely different this time, we decided to have them in tacos. Then, because we were feeling a little adventurous, we thought that having them spend some time in the Smoking Cloche would be an interesting touch.
I did give them a little help by marinating them in a mixture of garlic, chili flakes, smoked paprika, cumin, and a touch of lime.
For the first entry in my cookbook I’m sharing my Scampi recipe. I’ve learned that the word Scampi in Italian means prawn (a.k.a. a large shrimp) thus making “Shrimp Scampi” somewhat redundant. Translations notwithstanding, this is my favorite way to make shrimp, no matter where they are going to wind up. In this recipe, the magic is in the marinade. The ingredients are simple and always available in Mama D’s Kitchen.
Lots of garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and parsley mingle with lemon juice, dry vermouth, and quite a bit more than a little extra virgin olive oil. This mixture gives the sweetly bland shrimp a culinary pair of big girl panties and prepares them for any kind of introduction to heat.
After a few hours resting in-robed in plastic within the cool confines of the refrigerator, they are ready for anything; a hot grill basket, a quick bake in the oven, a turn in a skillet, or a brief visit under the broiler. Where they go after that is up to the cook’s imagination, but it is always delicious and never results in left overs.
