Recipe #63: Shrimp Primavera Pasta with Asparagus, Peas, and Leeks

Wow.  Just wow.  That's all I have to say.  Really fresh, light, and hearty.  The lemon zest totally makes this dish!  Another winner from Rachael Ray, from one of my newer cookbooks:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 pound spaghetti  (I used multigrain spaghetti)
1 leek
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 pound medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 to 1 pound asparagus (1 bundle), trimmed to 4 inches then cut into thirds
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Black pepper
1 cup shaved or grated Romano cheese
Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped (I used dried)

DIRECTIONS:

Place a large covered pot of water on the stove and bring it up to a boil for the pasta.  Salt the water and cook the spaghetti al dente.

While the pasta is working, trim the touch green toms and the roots from the leek.  Half the leek lengthwise and dice it thin.  Place the leeks in a colander and rinse them vigorously to release any grit.  Drain the leeks well.

Heat the EVOO in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for a minute.  Add the leeks and shiitake and cook until they are tender, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the stock, raise the heat a little, and bring it up to a bubble.  Once the stock bubbles, add the zest and the shrimp and cook it for 2 minutes, then add the asparagus and peas to the pan and cook them for 2 minutes more.

Melt the butter into the sauce, add the drained pasta to the pan, and toss to combine the shrimp and vegetables with the spaghetti.  Season with a little pepper, adjust the salt to taste, and garnish with the cheese and parsley.

My first leek!  The white part is the "good" part...

And my first batch of shiitake mushrooms...