If winter comes ... well it did : pasta with shrimp, peas and lemon

Annalena knows her army is a very erudite bunch.  And so, she is testing their knowledge of poetry.  Now, how many of you can fill in that line, without going to the internet?  Ok... now how many of YOU can tell Annalena who wrote it?  She bets that Stephanie can.  You did, didn't you, ragazza?   Annalena knew you would, and is smiling. 

For the rest of you, the line ends  "can spring be far behind?"  Well, the answer, unfortunately, is yes. Or at least TOO far behind, however long it may be.  There comes a point for the seasonal  eater, where looking at another leaf of kale, or a parsley root, or a turnip, is going to make that eater scream.  And yes, it has come, ragazzi.  WHERE ARE THE FREAKING ASPARAGUS?  Annalena has been known to cry out in her sleep.  And they are coming, but not yet... not for another 2.5 or 3 months.  So.. more turnips.. More kale.. More cabbage.  More using of California produce. 

UNLESS, heh heh heh, you have been clever enough to stash some of spring and summer's bounty away.  Again, Annalena knows that Ms. Stephanie has.  And perhaps Ms. Stephanie does in fact have some of the bounty discussed in this recipe, in her freezer.  If not,  and this applies to ALL of  you, Annalena gives you leave to break your winter doldrums, by making something like this.

During the spring and summer, Annalena stashes bags of her and the  Guyman's favorites into the freezer.  So, there are peas (Guyman),  fava beans (Annalena), corn (Guyman), rhubarb (both), berries (both) and some other odds and ends in there.  Annalena used to freeze more than she did, but inevitably got to the point of saying "OH CRAP.  I'm going to have to throw that stuff out."  So, now she is more prudent (under the watchful eye of the Guyman), and comes late January, she starts to use the goodies.

Last Sunday was a particularly yucky day.  Apart from that, Annalena was in fact having a case of the winter blues.  So she didn't feel like much of anything.  And she realized that she had forgotten to plan for Sunday lunch.   Not in the mood for takeout Chinese or pizza, or dipping into the soup that she had made for Monday's dinner, she rooted about the freezer, and found a 2 pound bag of fresh shrimp she had forgotten about.  And a bag of peas. 

Well... the makings of a dish began to come to mind, because, not surprisingly, there is ALWAYS pasta in Annalena's house.  And, since it is the time of the Citrus Bomb, there are lemons.  Meyer lemons in fact.  And of course, this being Annalena's home, there is always butter (There was actually one day a year or so ago, when there was actually no butter in the house.  AS GOD IS HER WITNESS ANNALENA WILL NEVER BE WITHOUT BUTTER AGAIN!).

So, anyway, ragazzi,  here's the result.  You can cut the recipe back and make it for less.  This made 5 large portions (Annalena and the Guyman shared), or 6 normal sized ones.  Let us begin.

First, you will need one or two lemons.  Decide on the number when you consider how much lemon flavor you would like in your dish, keeping in mind that the peel is strong (Annalena used one only).  Now, get one of those gee gaws that strip peel in little strips, and denude the lemon.  You can use the juice for other things, as you have learned here.  Put t hat aside.  Have about half a pound of frozen peas ready.  No need to thaw them.  You can use more if you don't want to split a package and put the rest back.  And two pounds of cleaned, shelled shrimp, half a stick of unsalted butter, and a pound of  a short, twisty type of pasta (fusilli, strozzapreti, penne, etc).   On one burner, start a large pot of well salted water.  At least four or five quarts of it.    When the water comes to the boil, drop in the pasta, partially cover the pot, and let the pasta cook.

On the other burner, put a large pan - one large enough to hold the 2 pounds of shrimp - and melt the half stick of butter.  Add the shrimp, and cook them GENTLY.  No browning is all that necessary on the shrimp.  Annalena cooked them by letting them sit for three minutes, and then stirring them up, and cooking again.    Then, turn off the heat, and pour the frozen peas over them  (Traditionally, you would add the frozen peas to the pasta and cook them together, however, Annalena finds that frequently, this overcooks the peas).

When the pasta is aldente (and you all BETTER know what that is), drain it, and get it back into the pot. Pour the shrimp and peas over the pasta, and stir it all together.  Now.... remember that lemon peel?   Toss it in, and stir that a bit too.

The lemon pretty much takes the place of cheese, because as we all know:  WE DO NOT PUT CHEESE ON PASTA WITH SEAFOOD.    Plate the stuff, and if you are so inclined, add a bit of chopped parsley.

The flavors of these three ingredients seem, at least to Annalena, to invoke sun.  Not necessarily WARM sun, but bright, curing, purifying sun:  like we get in spring.

If you are feeling the need, ragazzi, please make this dish.  You will be SO happy afterwards, you may feel inclined to go to your roof, and recite Shelley's poem (See?  She told you:  "Ode to the Western Wind), to the wind itself.  Please put on a coat, though.

When she returns, Annalena will be showing you a ridiculously simple basque dish that will warm your heart and belly.  Promessa.