Recipe: Lemony-Yogurt Shrimp Pasta
Okay guys, I am giving away secrets here. I use yogurt in a lot of my cooking. It is one of my culinary secrets. When a dish needs a little extra tang or some creaminess, I dig out the ubiquitous carton of plain yogurt in my fridge. I prefer the Greek style yogurt, as many of you know, but sometimes it is not available, so I just go for the all natural, organic plain stuff. No one can ever guess that it is in there, but it really adds a wonderful element to some of the best dishes I have made.
My Dad and Step mom were here this weekend visiting us. I wanted them to see the things about St. Augustine that we love so much, so on Saturday AM, bright and early we took a trip to the Farmer’s Market. We picked up some beautiful fresh local shrimp. We got some more of those huge Meyer lemons. I had pasta at home already and standing there at the market with fresh shrimp, lemons and beautiful green spring onions a plan began to form. This is the kind of cooking I love – being inspired by the best products you can find. The recipe is almost secondary.
After the market we took them to the the beach where we are going to get married in April. As you can see it was REALLY cold here this weekend. I am so glad I brought my parka with me from New England! We had a really great time. Roberto was the best sous chef ever and we had a great time cooking together in the kitchen while Dad and Kayzie relaxed in the living room with a glass of wine (did I mention that Kayzie is a wine distributor and they brought their own wine on their trip?! – lucky us!) The pasta was delicious by the way…
INGREDIENTS:
2 TBS olive oil
2 lbs fresh shrimp
½ cup fresh spring onions
4 cloves of garlic
Juice from ½ huge meyer lemon, or from a whole regular lemon
2 TBS white wine
1 lb spaghetti (you can use corn or rice to make it gluten-free)
3TBS capers
½ cup feta cheese
4 TBS plain yogurt
slices of lemon from other half of meyer lemon
salt& pepper to taste
drizzle of good quality olive oil
METHOD:
Bring salted water to a boil for pasta. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with 2 TBS olive oil. When oil is hot throw in the shrimp and garlic. Sautee just until one side of shrimp flesh become pink. Add the spring onions, lemon juice and wine. Cook together until shrimp is pink all over. Remove from heat and place lid on top. Finish cooking pasta until al dente. Place pasta in the skillet with the shrimp. Mix together. Add the yogurt and salt and pepper to taste and mix together. Place in serving bowl. Add the capers and feta cheese and arrange the lemon slices on top of the pasta. Drizzle with good quality olive oil. Serve immediately with good bread to sop up the juices. Yum!
Elly - January 21, 2008 at 11:53 am
Yum, Jenn! This looks so fresh & flavorful.
courtney - January 21, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Just heavenly.
Sylvia - January 21, 2008 at 12:03 pm
What a beautiful photos, Jenn. I see, your marriage in next April (Wow!!in the beach) is inspiring you.
Great dish and wonderful meeting with your parents
Peter G - January 21, 2008 at 12:09 pm
You feta freak you! I like this combination of flavours a lot. Will have to give it a try as I’m quite intrigued by the use of yogurt with pasta.
Heather - January 21, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Wow, that sounds really fresh and yummeh. I like to keep yogurt around for the same reason – the little bit of tang really brightens things up. And sometimes if I don’t have buttermilk I use regular milk with a dollop of yogurt for the acidity. And now that I’ve told you my secret, I have to kill you. 😛
Ivy - January 21, 2008 at 1:39 pm
What is there not to like in this recipe. I have used yoghurt in a pasta salad before but it never occurred to me to use it elsewhere. It has been bookmarked and I am sure it will become a family favourite. Your picture looks great and can’t wait to see pictures of your wedding!
Judy - January 21, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Oh aren’t we so lucky to have the best of fresh produce this time of year!!! I am going to make your roasted beet salad recipe in your last post tonight! It sure was cold this weekend though.
Peter - January 21, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Great dish Jenn! Good feta works well in pasta and I’m glad many are using capers more…great with seafood.
BaL(Banu) - January 21, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I adore yogurt, too, and can use it in, on , at , beside of any dish! lol
We will hopefully get married at the same days as you, (and probably have a wedding party at the beach, too).
Can’t wait to see the full view of the beach on your wedding day! And of course you as the bride…
And thanks for your good luck wish for my new blog Jenn 🙂 I finally added the Mini St Clements muffins recipe which had been mentioned on the blog ages ago lol
núria - January 21, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I would have never thought about adding yogurt to pasta… My mom sometimes adds milk to macarrones!
I love the food pictures, those shrimps could be eaten raw… they look so fresh!!!
April is in the corner, Jenn! I’d be so nervous!!!
Lilian - January 21, 2008 at 2:49 pm
In India, yoghurt is added to many dishes, not just served with dal. I wonder why the Indians (and their close neighbors in the Middle East, eastern Mediterranean, and central asia) seem to be the only ones who’ve really made a habit of using yoghurt in that way… Anyway, I’m glad to read that you’re into it as well–promoting more than one kind of culture (pun intended)!
Lilian - January 21, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Oh, I forgot to mention that I really like your photos of the raw shrimp and pasta in its cooking water. Beautiful shots, both.
The Leftover Queen - January 21, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Thanks Elly! It was nice, light and refreshing!
Thanks Courtney!
Thanks Sylvia! I am always inspired by the ocean. It is such a force of nature!
Yeah, I am a Feta Freak, Peter, I admit it! LOL! I guess there are worse names to be called! 😉
Don’t kill me Heather! I swear I won’t tell anyone all your secrets!
Thanks Ivy! I am glad you like it and I hope you make it for your family. It is delicious. Yes, I am looking forward to the wedding too!
Hi Judy! It was FREEZING. BRRRRR. But yes, thankfully we have great produce here in FL!
Thanks Peter. I have always been a big fan of capers! I use them in quite a lot of dishes and seafood is definately a great pairing.
Hi Banu! I am the same way! I love yogurt with just about anything. I will have to check out your new recipe. That would be funny if we got married the same day! Congrats on your engagement! I did not know.
Hi Nuria, the shrimp were delicious. That is why I didn’t want to cover up their natural flavor with a heavy sauce. April is right around the corner! I can’t wait!
Hi Lilian, thanks for stopping by. I guess that is why I love those cuisines so much – could the link to all of them be the yogurt?! Probably. I love your pun – foodies are so witty! 😉
Marie - January 21, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Getting married on the beach! How romantic!!! I hope we all get to see a picture Jenn. Looks like you had a great time with the fam, and I especially love the pasta in the pot photo!!
Jen in MI - January 21, 2008 at 6:43 pm
This looks absolutely amazing! Coincidentally, I made a lemon-yogurt sauce for some lobster ravioli last night!
Kat - January 21, 2008 at 7:16 pm
what a great way to add creaminess to dishes! I’ll have to remember your technique.
Deb - January 21, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Anything with shrimp I must try, as you know living by the ocean! Shrimp and pasta are a perfect pair, but using yogurt? What a great idea! And with the addition of feta…oh my gosh! I am still jealous of your farmers market:D
Karen - January 21, 2008 at 9:50 pm
I love anything with shrimp and your recipe sounds wonderful. Thanks for revealing your “yogurt” secret. I can see how that would make a recipe much creamier. I’ll give it try and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I know you must be getting excited:)
Kevin - January 21, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Great looking pasta! You can’t go wrong with shrimp and lemon. The use of the yogurt sounds interesting!
Mia - January 22, 2008 at 1:26 am
Lovely dish! I just discovered your blog today and fell in love – I also have an addiction to using up my leftovers. My favorite method is via the omelette: roast chicken and stuffing omelette, white bean and sausage stew omelette, pasta and pesto omelette…..looking forward to reading more of your recipes!
Laurie Constantino - January 22, 2008 at 3:44 am
The shrimp and pasta look terrifically tasty, but going to the beach sure would get me going. Glad to hear you had such a good time with your family.
Cris - January 22, 2008 at 7:20 am
Jenn… so that’s where you are getting married in April!!! This kind of pasta, with shrimp, is our top favorite, I think we had it the first time for our 10th wedding anniversary, almost 4 years ago. And of course, it did not have yogurt, your addition is great!
The Leftover Queen - January 22, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Hi Marie! Oh I am sure I will throw up a few photos of my wedding on here. I am really looking forwad to it. It is going to be very small, but I am hoping this will give me a chance to really sepnd time with all the guests. I am also really looking forward to showing off my new town!
Wow Jen! Great minds think alike. I bet it was awesome!
Kat – you’ll have to let me know if you like it! 🙂
Hi Deb! I know, now that I live next to the ocean, I am on a quest for getting even more seafood into my diet. It is just so good for you and tastes amazing!
Hey Karen! Some secrets are meant for sharing, you know?! I am getting very excited. It is hard to believe how soon it is coming up!
Thanks Kevin! I really was happy with how this dish turned out!
Welcome Mia! So glad you found my blog! And another leftover addict at that! Isn’t it fun?! I love making frittatas which is kind of like an omlette – so I get that totally! Such great combinations you have though!
Thanks Laurie! Yes it is so fortunate to live near the beach – but it has been really really cold since we moved in. Ah well, brisk beach walks are good for the soul. It is always nice to spend time with family.
Yes Cris! April is the big month. Wow, 14 years is great. Congratulations to you! That is somethng to be proud of.
Emiline - January 23, 2008 at 2:27 am
I’m so stealing your secret. I have to try putting more yogurt in food items. We recently just got Greek yogurt in my grocery store, and I’m pumped.
Ohh, I’m such a nerd.
The beach looks like the perfect place to get married.
Bellini Valli - January 23, 2008 at 10:56 am
Look at all those flavour combinations of feta, lemon and yogurt. This would be a very special dish!I agree that the beach is the perfect place to get married!!
Deborah - January 23, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I love the shrimp/lemon combo, and throw in some pasta and I’m sold!!
Nina - January 25, 2008 at 5:57 am
Love beetroot too. My daughter is 6 and if I have cooked beetroot in the fridge she has a permanent red ring around her mouth. My take on beetroot is raw beetroot juice in the morning – fantastic.
Hélène - January 26, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Nice recipe. I would love to visit the market someday. I like to idea of a wedding on the beach.
katie - January 26, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I use yogurt lots, too. I always have both plain and Greek in the fridge… Of course, we don’t have sour cream here…. That’s how MY habit started!
Whitney Schmale - June 11, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Served this tonight after sharing the recipe with my husband who was less than enthusiastic about it. He thought the feta would be too overwhelming. Before he could even put any on his plate, my two boys-4 & 8-both said “Mommy, great dinner!! Can we have this again?” Hubby couldn’t wait to try then and as I type he is scraping the last out of the pan. Not sure how I came across the recipe 18 months after you posted it but it will definitely be in our rotation!
Thanks,
Whitney