Shrimp Heaven

Anybody else love shrimp? It can get really expensive to make for a whole family though. To save money, I like to add it to a pasta dish to make it go farther. I just made the recipe below for dinner, loosely based on a recipe by Melissa D'Arabian from Food Network but changed to suit us. I think I changed it enough so I feel okay posting it here. It is quite different from the original. Tim really liked it....and that's saying a lot because it's hard to even get him to try anything new. I think we have a budding gourmand on our hands now. While eating the dish, he remarked, "The shrimp really loves the lemon!" :)

The above picture is what was left over after Tim and I decimated the dish before Ram even got home from work. It was good!

Tim just got off the phone with his grandma....evidently we're getting a free load of firewood. To quote MIL, "Grandpa has been possessed by the chainsaw and everything is coming down!"

Shrimp Linguini

1 lb medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (reserve shells)

1 lb thin linguini

2 tbsp butter

1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

1/2 cup of reserved pasta cooking water

Shrimp Stock

Shrimp shells

Water

1 tbsp dehydrated onion or 1/4 cup chopped fresh onion

1-1/2 cup chicken stock

1 garlic clove, smashed

1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes

To make shrimp stock, after peeling shrimp, reserve shells & tails. Place in a small saucepan, add chicken stock and enough water to cover shells. Add onion, garlic, and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain. Discard shells.

Shrimp Marinade

2 garlic cloves, grated (more or less to taste)

Zest and juice of 1-1/2 lemons

1/4 cup olive oil

Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a bowl, combine shrimp, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside for a few minutes. If you want to marinade it longer, place in refrigerator.

Cook linguini as directed on package. Drain.

Heat a skillet over high heat. Drain shrimp, reserving marinade, and add shrimp to skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes until done, turning once. Remove the shrimp to a plate and add the remaining marinade. Let cook for 2 minutes and then add 1-1/2 cups of shrimp stock and about 1/2 cup pasta water. Continue to cook until reduced by half. Add the butter and parsley.

Toss together the shrimp and pasta, turn into serving bowl. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6.