Pasta: The Culinary Little Black Dress
It’s versatile. Good for daytime or evenings. You can dress it up or down. Everyone loves it. It’s pasta! You can make pasta as light & healthy or decadent & indulgent as you see fit. So go ahead and enjoy a bit of pasta with bunches of fresh veggies and you’ll still fit into that little black dress 😉 Here are a few pasta dishes I’ve made using farm fresh ingredients from thedirtfarmers.com CSA.
Wild Georgia Shrimp Scampi with Bacon & Goat Cheese
Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
1 lb. Wild Georgia shrimp
2 slices Rocking Chair Ranch bacon
2 oz. Blue Moon Creamery goat cheese
1 very large or 2 small Meyer lemons, zested & juiced
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 box whole wheat spaghetti, linguini, or cappellini
2 Tablespoons Southern Swiss butter
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper
Directions:
1. Remove heads, shells, tails, & devein shrimp (don’t you dare throw out those shrimp heads & shells! Put them in a ziplock bag and put them in the freezer to make shrimp stock later. Trust me. Shrimp stock makes the best shrimp & grits). Season shrimp with a pinch of kosher salt & a bit of fresh cracked pepper and set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve a bit of pasta water (about 1/2 cup).
3. While pasta is cooking, use kitchen shears to cut bacon into bite size slivers. Cook in a large pot over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon and let drain on a paper towel. Drain excess bacon fat leaving about 1 teaspoon in the pot.
4. Add Wild GA shrimp and cook 2 minutes each side, until shrimp are just pink. Remove from pot and set aside.
5. Add butter & olive oil to pot. When butter is melted add minced garlic and cook 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant and just begins to brown. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and white wine. Simmer sauce for about a minute to let all the flavors meld.
6. Using tongs, toss pasta with sauce. Add reserved pasta water if needed. Add shrimp and toss again.
7. Serve pasta & shrimp in a bowl. Top with crispy Rocking Chair Ranch bacon and crumbled Blue Moon Creamery Goat cheese. This would be delicious with a bit of fresh parsley or fresh green onions on top. Enjoy!
Here are some other delicious pasta dishes I’ve made lately
Pumpkin Mac-n-Cheese:
I still have quite a bit of pumpkin left in my freezer from our Incredible, Edible Pumpkin Patch last fall.
Orzo Primavera
When Thursday rolls around (the day before CSA pick up), and I still have a ton of vegetables left to use, I’ll sauté or roast everything and toss it with a bit of pasta, rice, or serve over a salad for a quick meal. For this incarnation I used squash, broccoli, green beans, garlic, onions, and tomato sauce over orzo.
Sausage & Peppers Spaghetti
Sausage & peppers is a classic combination. I browned Rocking Chair Ranch Italian sausage, drained, added sliced bell pepper, sliced onion, and marinara. Toss with spaghetti, top with Blue Moon Creamery goat cheese and fresh basil.
Romanesco & Rigatoni
Romanesco is the coolest looking vegetable we get in our CSA. I love its fractal design and its fresh taste. It breaks in to florets just like broccoli and cauliflower. I tossed the florets with olive oil, salt & pepper, roasted it in the oven, then tossed it with rigatoni, lemon juice, lemon zest, and parmesan cheese. Impressive and delicious!
What is your favorite pasta recipe? Leave a comment below!
Moriah Lavender is a Macon native who loves local food, cooking, organic gardening, & essential oils. Check out her blog LocalLavender.com