Pink shrimp and green fettuccine. Doesn’t it sound like Lilly Pulitzer designed this dish? Before I get to the recipe which uses the BEST green fettuccine made of spinach and Jerusalem artichoke flour (no really, not kidding), a word about fashion for those of us that have passed our 50th birthdays. DO NOT KID YOURSELF about wearing clothes that are too New Fashioned. I certainly don’t want to be referred to as OLD fashioned (think shawl and rocking chair) but seriously, you cannot get too crazy trying to look young. Nice legs or not, short skirts on a 50+ year old just look like you are trying too hard. I do not see myself as Mylie Cyrus or Katie Perry, as adorable and edgy as they both may be. But I am not Rose, Dorothy or Blanche on The Golden Girls either.
Enough of the preaching. You know exactly what I mean. Just look around. Some people look just great in the latest fashion when the choices are somewhat age-appropriate. Again, the miniskirt is the best example. Forget about it unless you are on the beach. Low-cut tops rarely look good on someone over the age of 50. Just my opinion. Bikinis……..obviously a no- go unless you are Christie Brinkley.
Random fashion thoughts for the seniors among us: Lilly Pulitzer, yes. Ann Taylor, yes. J. Crew, yes. Anthropologie, yes (sometimes, especially for sweaters and jackets). Forever 21 and H&M (sometimes but you must be very very selective or you will look like a fool). I especially like ZARA for its broad range of styles, prices and especially its innovative take on fashion. ZARA is trendy without being too trendy. It is incredibly stylish and I feel young- but not ridiculously so -in their clothes. It’s definitely time-consuming to find things in all of these places that are age-appropriate but it is worth it. And in MEtirement, it is just one more thing that I appreciate having the time to do.
Having said all of the above, I come back to Lilly Pulitzer. Of all the latest fashions, I have to say that this clothing line really looks great on everyone from toddlers to those of us who are getting older. The bright colors are so flattering and there are so many styles to choose from. I spent years in grey, navy and black or what I call “professional colors”. Now I am free to wear bright colors and I love how they make me feel. Refreshed, not drab. Energetic, not staid. MEtirment was the impetus for a lot of things and changing my wardrobe was definitely one of them. More about all of this fashion stuff in other posts when I develop the courage to model the clothes I am wearing. Right now I stick to my hands pouring olive oil.
And now let me tie the Lilly Pulitzer references to my recipe so you don’t think that I am a rambling and forgetful person (could be true, just ask my kids). The pink shrimp combined with the green- on- green noodles (pesto+spinach artichoke fettuccine) leads the mind to but one conclusion. PREPPY PASTA. Gotta love that image! I discovered the pasta made by Deboles is actually made from organic Jerusalem artichoke flour and spinach. All organic. The taste is fantastic and the color is bright, green and so appetizing. When combined with my spinach and basil pesto, a little butter and pasta water, you have a complete main course. I wanted to add a bit of protein to the dish so I sauteed some shrimp, garlic, butter, lemon and parsley and added just a bit of cream cheese to bind it all together.
The combination of the pesto green noodles and the garlicky, lemony, creamy shrimp really makes a weeknight dinner something special. Because there is just a smidgen of sauce on the linguine and not much on the shrimp, don’t worry about it all being too saucy. Just worry about how you are not going to eat the entire bowl yourself…………..
Creamy Garlic Shrimp over Luscious Green Fettuccine with Pesto
This artful combination of green pasta and pink shrimp will make you feel all elegant even if you are just wearing your gym clothes!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spinach fettuccine Deboles if available or any other dried linguine
- 1/3 cup spinach and basil pesto or any other green pesto
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 tablespoons garlic
- 1 pound raw medium shrimp peeled and deveined and dried well
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- 3 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese full fat or reduced fat at room temperature, cubed
- juice of one lemon
- 1 1/2 cups baby spinach or Lacinato kale julienned if you are using kale
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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In a large pot over moderately high heat, combine 4 quarts of water and salt. Bring to a boil, then add fettuccine and cook to one minute short of al dente according to the package instructions.
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Drain pasta and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
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In the meantime, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until it is translucent but not browned, about 2 minutes.
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Add the shrimp to the butter mixture and turn the heat to medium high. Stir the shrimp around until they are just cooked, about 2 minutes. Add parsley, cream cheese and lemon juice. Lower the heat to low and keep the mixture warm.
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Add the drained pasta to the pot in which it was cooked along with the reserved pasta water. Turn the heat to medium and add the pesto, stirring well until the pasta is warm. Add the spinach or julienned kale and cook for two to three minutes, stirring constantly until the spinich or kale is just wilted. Remove pan from the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir until everything is well combined.
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Turn the pasta into a large, warmed bowl and pour the shrimp mixture over the top. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.