It’s true that Honolulu has nearly perfect weather. Never any extreme temperatures, no severe weather warnings or natural disasters. A nice breeze most days to keep things pleasant. The polar vortex drops our temperatures to the high 70’s. We are extremely lucky in the weather department. I know you’re all hating me right now.
But every now and then, winter will bring us a stretch of gloomy days. Rain, cool temperatures, gray skies, gray seas, wet sand. It’s a nice change. A chance to break out the warm clothes, get cozy, and not worry about being too hot. We’re in it now. Day after day of rain and gloom. So I decided to create my own sunshine.
I absolutely adore this lemon linguine recipe from Nigella Lawson. It’s bright and creamy. Every bite brings a smile to my face. And when you see how simple it is to make, you won’t be able to stop smiling, either. You can basically have the whole thing ready in the time it takes to boil pasta. In fact, the bit that takes the longest is waiting for the stupid water to boil.
Lemon, parm, cream, egg yolks. Buttery pasta tossed in a creamy sauce. If you want to make things complicated, you could add some veggies or grilled chicken. I can’t be bothered with all that fussing. A big bowl of lemony pasta is all I need to remember the feel of the sunshine on my shoulders.
Try this recipe if you need a quick shot of sunshine in your life. Lemon linguine is one of my favorites.
- 1 pound linguine
- 2 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of half a lemon
- salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter
- parsley for garnish, optional
- Fill a large pot with water and put it on a burner cranked all the way to high. Slap a lid on it, and let it come to a rapid boil.
- Once water is boiling, add a tablespoon of salt, then stir in the linguine. Cook for about 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Before draining the pasta, pull out a half cup or so of water, in case you need to thin your sauce a bit.
- While you're waiting for your water to boil and your pasta to cook, combine egg yolk, cream, parmesan, lemon zest and juice, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. We're just mixing everything together.
- Once you've drained your pasta, return it to the hot pot. Add the butter to the pasta, and toss the pasta until the butter is melted and the strands are coated and glossy.
- Add your sauce and give everything a good stir to get each bit coated in sauce. If you want things to be a bit more loose, add a tablespoon or two of your starchy pasta water.
- Tear some parsley over the top, if you're feeling fancy. Plop yourself down with a big bowl and a fork and get cozy.
Pairs well with broiled asparagus:
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/broiled-asparagus