Bottom of the Barrel Pasta

It's the night before delivery day from SLO Veg, and I need something yummy for dinner. Let's see, I have onions: red, yellow, and a leek. I think I will go with the leek. There is corn on the cob that I thought Lee would boil the other night, but he didn't. Also, the basil, cilantro and flat-leafed parsely that I had stored in a plastic tub were still crisp. That, and some purple cabbage are all the fresh vegetables I have in my frig right now. Tomorrow's delivery of vegetables and fruit will be just in the nick of time. 

Angel hair Pasta with Shrimp

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and precooked
1 leek
4 basil leaves
3 sprigs Italian flat-leafed parsley
1 jar prepared Alfredo sauce
7 oz. Angel hair pasta

Bring pasta water to a boil and add salt. Put the pasta on and cook for about 8-10 minutes, until al dente. Meanwhile, saute the sliced leeks in butter for a few minutes, then add the shrimp and heat through. Pour in a jar of prepared Alfredo sauce and season with chopped fresh basil and parsley. Serve over pasta. Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, if desired.

Gremolata - its Parsley, Lemon and Garlic!

I still have a bunch of parsley to use up, and we are getting more in this week's box, so I'd better get cracking! I had Lee pick some of the last remaining lemons off our scraggly tree out back, so now its time to make Gremolata and use it on something like fish or chicken or pasta. I searched out a few recipe links that sounded good. Lee is trying to avoid wheat right now, so I might make a brown rice pasta version of the pasta and mushroom gremolata dish. It will be light and refreshing!

Here are a couple of links to check out:

http://cookingfortwo.about.com/od/ingredients/r/gremolata.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/health/nutrition/pasta-with-mushrooms-and-gremolata-recipes-for-health.html?_r=0

I got out my tools: my mini chopper, a zester, my big knife, a bowl, spatula, salt and pepper, lemons, garlic and the parsley.

So first I washed and spun out the parsley in the salad spinner, then I plucked off the leaves, discarding the stems into our compost pot. I took three big cloves of garlic and smashed them with the flat of the knife, then minced them up coarsely. I stuffed the parsley leaves into the chopper and added the minced garlic, then grated some fresh lemon peel on top. I added the juice of a half lemon and about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then blended the ingredients with the chopper. After it was all diced up into small pieces, I added some salt and pepper and Voila! We have Gremolata!