Spring time has officially arrived and what better way to follow our last post, Springing into Celebrations, than by sharing a light, refreshing spring recipe. We combined the occasion with our favorites of sharing with locals and opening taste buds! Our guests included the chef Haley – another Peace Corps volunteer, Andrei -a local, and Laela’s brother, Ameir, who was visiting Moldova from the United States.
Haley, as our guest chef, chose to prepare a tasty dish that will brighten even the gloomiest of days: Lemon Shrimp Linguine. His dish was a hit even luring in a first-time eater of both spinach AND shrimp. Although nervous, Andrei captured the savory flavors from the first bite and enjoyed it down to the sauce. With such gratefulness and a satisfied belly, he offered to be our guest for the next Taste of Peace entry! Be on the lookout for stewed rabbit!
As spinach and shrimp made their premiere for one guest, they also make this dish a winner for the palate and body – check it out!
Spinach: Popeye was on to something with his relentless love of spinach. This fiber and nutrient rich plant is full of vitamins and minerals, packing in vitamins C, E, K, beta-carotene, manganese, zinc, and selenium just to name a few. These antioxidant nutrients will wrap your body in health. Spinach has also been found to contain many flavonoid compounds that function as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agents.
Shrimp: They may be small but shrimp pack a lot of nutrient power. Shrimp are low in fat, high in selenium, packed with B12, omega-3, and protein shown to fight against cancer, high blood pressure, and Alzheimer’s. You’ll also be happy to know that shrimp’s omega-3 properties have been shown to improve moods. “Ten health benefits of shrimps” mentions the power of shrimp for prostate and thyroid health as well as building strong bones. So eat up, be strong, and be happy!
Haley’s recipe for Lemon Shrimp Linguine:
Ingredients:
1 lb of peeled shrimp
zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 packages of linguine pasta
4 tablespoons of a dry white wine
1 large bag of fresh spinach
1 pound of cherry tomatoes cut into halves
200 grams of fresh parmesan for grating
10 cloves of minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil
Sauté the fresh spinach with extra virgin olive oil seasoning with salt and pepper until spinach has wilted down, about 3 minutes. Set aside until later. Next, sauté the shrimp with extra virgin olive oil, half of the garlic, and a pinch of salt (no more than 5 minutes). Set aside in a bowl.
In a large pot, cook the linguine according the time listed on the package in salted water. A minute before the pasta has finished cooking, take out two to three cups of the water from the pasta water and set aside. After the pasta is done, remove it from the water and cool it down with cold water to stop the cooking process.
In a sauce pan, heat up 8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Quickly add the remaining garlic being sure not to burn it. Next add the pasta water, juice and zest of the lemons, and wine. Allow the mixture time to simmer and the pasta water and olive oil to emulsify. Season with sauce with additional salt, if desired.
When you are ready to serve, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and add a portion of the pasta, spinach, and tomatoes. Ladle in 1 to 2 spoons full of sauce and carefully toss the mixture, until it is thoroughly heated (about 3 minutes).
Serve in a bowl and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Ameir and Andrei paired the dish with a local beer.
Thank you Haley for cooking and to everyone for bringing smiles and love into our kitchen.