To Grill or Not to Grill, or Is It Better to Make Spaghetti?

As Memorial Day approaches, I clean the grill.

Remembering the heady fragrance of grilling ribeye steaks, chicken, lobster, shrimp and baby octopus energizes me as I brush away the leaves and dust that have gathered on the cover. With happy memories of grilled artichokes, carrots, broccoli and shiitake mushrooms, I sweep away cobwebs that have gathered in the briquets.

But I know that once I have reconnected with the grill, I will find it difficult to stand in front of the stove and labor indoors.

So before I give myself over to the sweet slavery of grilling, I'll make a farewell dinner of spaghetti and garlic shrimp.

Spaghetti and Shrimp

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound shrimp, washed, shelled and deveined

1 pound spaghetti

2 cloves garlic, peeled, finely chopped

2 tablespoons yellow onion, peeled, finely chopped

1/4 cup Italian parsley, washed, dried, leaves only, finely chopped

3 tablespoon sweet butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 cup pasta water

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions

To help with timing the dish, make the pasta first.

Bring a galon of water to boil in a large stock pot. Add the kosher salt and the pasta. Every five minutes use tongs to stir the pasta to keep it separated. Place a strainer in the sink along with a heat-proof cup to capture 1 cup of pasta water. In ten minutes or until the pasta is al dente (firm to the bite), strain the pasta and reserve the cup of pasta water.

Return to the pasta to the still hot pot. Add 1 tablespoon sweet butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil, season with 1/4 teaspoon each freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Stir well with tongs. Lay a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pot to help the pasta retain heat.

In a large chefs pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute the shrimp until lightly pink. Remove the cooked shrimp from the pan. Add the garlic, onion and parsley and saute over a medium flame until lightly browned. Stir well to prevent burning. Add 2 tablespoons sweet butter and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Heat and add 1/2 cup pasta water.

Simmer and taste. Add sea salt and pepper as needed.

Add the cooked pasta and shrimp. Stir well to coat with the sauce. Add small amounts of pasta water as needed.  Toss well and serve with grated Parmesan.

Variations

Sprinkle 1/4 cup toasted bread crumbs on the pasta before adding the grated cheese.

Toss the pasta with 2 tablespoons finely chopped, crisp bacon.

Add 1/4 teaspoon pepper flakes for heat.

Saute 4 shiitake mushrooms, washed, thinly sliced with the garlic, onions and parsley.

Saute 1 cup corn kernels with the garlic, onions and parsley.

Instead of shrimp, use lobster or scallops.