Lemon / Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine the garlic, zest and juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste, and the shrimp. Set aside to marinate. I like to sprinkle salt directly on the shrimp while I prepare the rest of the ingredients. This gives them a head start on brining and marinating. I also like to marinate them for about 30 minutes or so before cooking.
2. Meanwhile make a shrimp stock: In a small pot, over medium heat, add the shrimp shells and onion. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain into a bowl and discard the shells and the onion. You will have extra stock so just freeze it for use in another dish.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add a generous amount of salt. Add the linguini and cook until just tender, 2 minutes less than instructed on the package. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water.
4. Heat a skillet over high heat. Remove the shrimp from the marinade, reserve the marinade, and add the shrimp to the skillet. Cook until they turn pink and start to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Just remember that they have a natural thermostat to tell you when they are done, and that is when they turn pink and are not opaque. So if your pan is to low they might not caramelize like you want. That is ok, caramelizing makes them pretty, but it is more important to cook them properly. Whatever they look like, just turn them when they need to be turned. You can work on the technique next time. Also, don't crowd them in the pan, you will just steam the over crowded ones. Cook them in batches if you need to.
5. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate and add the reserved marinade. Let cook a few minutes then add about 1 cup of shrimp stock and about 1/2 cup pasta water. Continue to cook until sauce reduces by half. If you watch this step and don't go off doing other things you can crank the heat up a bit to get it to reduce faster, just don't forget to stir more often so it doesn't stick.
6. Add the zest and juice of the remaining lemon, the butter and the parsley and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Add in the shrimp and pasta and toss to combine with the sauce. Turn out into a serving bowl and serve immediately.

• Servings : 4
• Ready in : 45 Minutes
• Course : Main
• Recipe Type : Seafood
• Ingredient : Shrimp