Linguini With Shrimp And Lemon Oil

I could easily eat pasta on a daily basis.  It is just one of those great comfort foods I never tire of.  When I have a little extra time I enjoy the whole process of making fresh pasta.  The mixing, the kneading, rolling and cutting.  It is a lot less intimidating than what you might think and the results are worth the small bit of extra effort.  

The one thing I would love to have in my garden is a lemon tree.  Growing up, my parents had a huge lemon tree that was right outside the kitchen window and how I wish I had that tree now.  Lemon is one of the best ingredients to pair with a light pasta dish, in my opinion.  I found this recipe that was loaded with lemon and knew I had to give it a try.  Paired with some delectable shrimp and arugula and I bet you won't have many leftovers.  I know we didn't!

For the lemon oil:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon, zested

For the pasta:

1 pound linguine pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

16 ounces frozen shrimp

1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

1 lemon, zested

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 ounces arugula (about 3 packed cups)

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For the lemon oil:

Combine the olive oil and the lemon zest in a small bowl and reserve.

For the pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked linguine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Turn off the heat and add the arugula. Using a mesh sieve, strain the lemon zest out of the reserved lemon olive oil and add the oil to the pasta. The zest can be discarded. Add the chopped parsley to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve immediately.