This delightful dish is sure to impress your taste buds with its vibrant flavors and elegant simplicity.
Ingredients:
For the Shrimp:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Pasta:
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping (optional)
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons capers, fried
Directions:
Make the shrimp: In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with the salt and pepper; add to the preheated pan in a single layer. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until pink and cooked through. Set aside.
Make the pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Meanwhile, whisk the olive oil, parmesan and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl to blend.
Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, shrimp and the reserved cooking liquid, adding it 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with the salt and pepper; stir in the basil. Garnish with the fried capers and more parmesan, if desired.
At nine years old, Ben Gaffney asked if he could work alongside his father, a chef, at Congress Rotisserie in New Haven. The elder Gaffney put the boy to work washing dishes for two years, in the hope that it would discourage his interest in the restaurant business.
But a calling is a calling. Ben Gaffney has spent his life since then pursuing the wonders of food, bringing Middlefield along for the ride as chef at Lyman Orchards since 2017.
