Healthy Waists, Healthy Wallets: Lemony Shrimp and Leek Pasta

Dinnertime around here can be a little crazy.

With varying schedules and varying tastes, planning meals becomes a minefield. This summer was tough. My older sprog doesn’t like shrimp but likes some fish, loves pork and most vegetables. The younger sprog doesn’t like fish but loves shrimp, can’t stand pork, and is cautious about cooked vegetables. The husband loves seafood but prefers it fried, loves pork as long as it’s pulled, and is wary of vegetables. I just want to make a meal that’s easy, healthy, and not too expensive.

Now that the older sprog is off for their last year of college [sob], I made this pasta for a late summer meal. It was enthusiastically received by both of my picky eaters, thank goodness! It’s light and easy, healthy and relatively inexpensive. Winner winner, shrimp and pasta dinner!

Lemony Shrimp and Leek Pasta

Ingredients

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail off (I got a 1-pound bag of medium shrimp, already peeled and deveined with the tails off at Tom Thumb for $6.99!)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
16 ounces spaghetti or linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 large leeks, white and pale green parts only – I’ll explain how to clean leeks down in the directions!
1 large shallot, peeled and finely chopped
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken broth
10 ounces baby spinach
¼ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
1/3 cup Italian parsley, stems removed, roughly chopped

Directions

Thaw the shrimp in the fridge overnight. Drain the shrimp and place in a bowl with the lemon zest, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper, and set aside.

Leeks, while delicious, are notoriously sandy. To make sure your gorgeous pasta isn’t full of grit, the easiest way to clean it is to cut off the root ends, strip off the two outer layers of the leeks, and cut into rounds. Place the rounds in a large bowl of cold water and gently separate into rings. The sand will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Remove the leek rings to a strainer and rinse again.

In a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat, saute the shrimp in a tablespoon of olive oil just until the shrimp turn pink, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and sauté the leeks until they are soft, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the leeks are soft, add the shallots and sauté for another couple of minutes, stirring frequently. Add the white wine and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the wine and broth are slightly reduced.

While you’re cooking the shrimp and leeks and are reducing the wine and stock, bring a large stockpot of salted water to the boil. Once the water is briskly boiling, add the pasta. Cook for about 7 minutes or until just al dente.

Once the pasta is just about al dente, drain it and add to the leek/wine/broth mixture. You’re finishing the pasta in the sauce. The pasta absorbs the flavors and releases a bit of starch, slightly thickening the sauce. Cook the pasta in the sauce for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the spinach and some salt and pepper to the pasta and stir until the spinach has wilted. Stir in the chopped herbs, the juice of the zested lemon, and the reserved shrimp, remove from the heat, and serve. Serves 6 with leftovers.

*There is an unwritten law in Italian and French cuisine that seafood and cheese are enemies. But let’s face it, rules are made to be broken, and shaving a bit of really good Pecorino Romano over this pasta makes the dish even better. So to serve, I drizzle it with a bit of olive oil and shave a little Pecorino Romano over it, and my family falls upon it like a pack of rabid honey badgers.