{ Pictured: Noritake Hertford and Rochelle Gold China }
How we celebrated the arrival of spring (YAYYYY): with a seafood-and-wildflower-inclusive dinner in our backyard. As annoying as daylight savings is – I mean really, trying to convince a four year old and a one and a half year old that “yes, I’m aware that it looks like it’s noon outside but for real, go brush your teeth and go to bed” is the very definition of an exercise in futility – it’s also so exciting, finally getting back those extra hours that we can spend taking an after-dinner walk in the park, or leaving the windows open so we can listen to neighborhood kids playing basketball, or sitting in the hammock with a book, or many of the other myriad uber-suburban activities that I never knew were particularly my jam but that I now, officially in my mid-thirties, have discovered are what make me the very happiest.
I want to ride bikes (well, no: more accurately I want to sit on the stoop with a beer and watch my kids ride bikes, but same difference). I want to have picnics in the park. I want to garden.
In keeping with all this seasonal celebration, I may even plant some tomato plants and…I don’t know, something else vegetable-ish?…in our side yard this weekend. (Somebody help me, please.) (No but seriously help me; I’ve never tried to grow vegetables other than a not-so-hot experience with a raised garden bed a couple of years back that ended with the death of really quite a lot of hapless lettuces, and I have a feeling things may go south if I’m left entirely to my own devices.)
SPAGHETTI with SHRIMP and ARTICHOKES (Serves 4-6)
What You Need:
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and cleaned
- ¼ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup frozen artichoke hearts
- 1 tbsp butter
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 package spaghetti
What You Do:
- Bring a pot of very salted water to the boil for the pasta and cook according to package directions.
- When you strain the pasta, set aside a cup of pasta water, and stir the saffron into the salted water. Set the pasta aside, and add a little olive oil to keep it loose until you’re ready to add it to the dish (don’t worry about it getting cold; it’ll reheat when you add it to the rest of the ingredients later).
- In a large pan, saute the garlic and onion over low heat until just golden. Add the wine and salt. Let the wine cook nearly off, then add the pasta water-saffron mixture.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, then throw in the artichokes and butter. Stir to mix everything together, then cover and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the shrimp, stir again, cover and cook for an additional 2 minutes or so, or until the artichokes are fully heated through and the shrimp is pink. Taste for salt and add more as needed.
- Stir the pasta into the pot of shrimp and vegetables, and toss to distribute all the ingredients. Serve immediately.
