Pasta with capers, lemon, and whatever you want

I like to take recipes and change them up. Often its because I’m lazy or I don’t want to buy the ingredients that it requires. Sure, I cook fairly often, but there are plenty of ingredients I don’t feel like investing in, or that are too perishable, or I’m simply too lazy to deal with. Take lemons. If I want some fresh lemon juice, I have to buy a lemon, cut it, and then squeeze it! And if I’m only using a quarter for a recipe a week, the lemon might go bad before I’m done with it. Why don’t I just get a bottle of it, and call it day?

Well, mostly because that bottled stuff doesn’t taste nearly as good. But sometimes, I sacrifice the small difference in taste (particularly when lemon is not the dominating flavor) for a few seconds of laziness. I admit it! For this pasta recipe however, I went the extra mile. Not only did I buy a fresh lemon, but I zested the whole thing, to really bring out the lemon flavor. I could have easily used the lemon pepper seasoning that I have… but I didn’t. Worth it!

I adapted this recipe from TheKitchn, one of my favorite food blogs, and added some broccoli, carrots, and fresh shrimp to it.

Recipe (for 3-4):

4-5 large garlic cloves, minced
Zest of 1 lemon + juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup cream (I used milk)
1/4 cup capers
1/2 box pasta (angel hair, spaghetti, fettuccine work well)
1/4-1/2 lb shrimp (peeled, deveined)
1-2 medium carrots, cut 1/4″ thick or less (the thinner, the more quickly it will cook)
small head of broccoli, chopped into size of choice

(1) Cook pasta as per instructions. While it is cooking….
(2) Oil pan and saute a few pieces of garlic over medium heat for a minute or two. Add shrimp and saute for 2 minutes on each side (until cooked). Put aside.
(3) Cook the rest of the garlic and lemon zest in the butter and oil over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, until the garlic is soft, and add the broth and turn the heat to high. Add in broccoli and carrots, and put on the lid until broccoli is soft. Take lid off and simmer until reduced by at least one half, and add the cream and capers. Turn the heat back to medium and simmer until thick and syrupy. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice.
(4) Pour over pasta and enjoy!