When Life Gives You Lemons – Get Cooking!

Today’s Ben’s Day Wednesday is brought to you by lemons. We found ourselves at the tail end of a grocery cycle, but with careful use of what we had on hand in our fridge, pantry, and freezer, we were able to pull off a pretty good meal. Every dish we made today featured lemons: Caesar Salad, Pasta with Shrimp and Pancetta, and Blueberry Lemon Cobbler.

Pasta with Shrimp and Pancetta

1 pound orecchiette pasta

2 tablespoons butter, divided

8 ounces pancetta, diced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed

Zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Olive oil for drizzling

Fresh herb (basil or parsley), chopped, for serving

1. Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve half a cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook the pancetta until crisp, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towel-lined plate and discard all but 2 tablespoons fat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to skillet, stirring and taking care not to burn, about 1 minute. Raise heat to medium.
3. Stir in the shrimp and continue to cook until just barely pink, 2-3 minutes. Add half of the lemon zest and the pancetta. (Shrimp should still be slightly undercooked.)
4. Add drained pasta into skillet and stir, until the shrimp finishes cooking and the pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Add lemon juice and a bit of the pasta water to form silky sauce. Add remaining zest, 1 tablespoon of butter, and a drizzle of olive oil.
5. Remove from heat. Pour into serving dish, add cheese, chopped herbs, and serve.

Blueberry Lemon Cobbler

4 cups blueberries

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss blueberries, lemon zest, sugar, and lemon juice in baking dish.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir in cream until just combined. Drop in dollops on top of blueberry mixture.
3. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until dough is no longer gooey, and blueberries are bubbling.
4. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.