Spaghetti with Meyer Lemon Zest and Crunchy Sea Salt
When Brian and I flew home from our holiday visit to my mom and stepdad's place in Windsor, California, we were loaded down with plenty of the usual Christmastime loot—sweaters, books, socks, and in my case, a food scale, spices, and a scary-sharp Japanese chef's knife. We also lugged a sizable bag of lemons. Now, especially after Christmas, suitcase space is valuable real estate, of which not just any citrus fruit is worthy. But these weren't just lemons—these were Meyer lemons, which in New York are available for $7 per pound at overpriced food emporiums, but in Sonoma County grow ubiquitously and plentifully (or at least did, until last month's freeze) in backyards and along roadsides. So when my Manhattanite stepsister and I asked my mom if we could snag some Meyer lemons from her yard, she unloaded bags of fruit on us.
As The New York Times pointed out last week, sunny lemons are the perfect foil for cold, gray winter. (Just for the record, I did have my recipe written and post planned before the Times article came out.) Meyer lemons are sweeter than their more common supermarket cousins, and they possess a divinely fragrant zest.
When Brian and I returned to Queens with our bounty, we had lots of Meyer lemon salad dressings and less inspired fare, but our favorite creation by far was this simple spaghetti with butter, zest, shallots, parmesan cheese, and coarse sea salt. The creamy butter marries beautifully with the aromatic Meyer lemon, and the sea salt, sprinkled over individual servings, adds a nice textural contrast.
SPAGHETTI WITH MEYER LEMON ZEST AND CRUNCHY SEA SALT
1 pound thin spaghetti
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 finely chopped shallots
Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Fleur de Sel or other coarse sea salt
Melt butter in a large skillet. Saute shallot until soft (do not burn the butter). Meanwhile, boil the pasta. Stir zest into the butter, add cooked pasta, cheese, parsley, pepper, and toss together. Sprinkle each serving with sea salt to taste.
Even though lemon zest isn't an herb, it does have the aromatic qualities of one, so I've decided to send this post to Kalyn's Kitchen for Weekend Herb Blogging. Be sure to check Kalyn's blog next week for the roundup!
Categories: Main Dishes, Pasta, Fruits, Travel
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Two of my very favorite foods - lemon and spaghetti! Looks fantastic.
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Ooh, that sounds divine... and looks even better! Yumm!!
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Wow, $7 a pound! In Portland this week, they were on sale for $2. I've been doing cocktails with them, and they're fantastic. Last week, I picked up an apple that had been lying on top of them and it had a wonderful citrusy taste. I know what I'm making for dinner tonight, thanks!
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Thanks, Karen--I too love these ingredients, and they make a fabulous combination!
Yvo--thanks, as always, for your kind words. I hope you seek out some of those $7 Meyer lemons and try it for yourself!
Phil--you west coasters are so lucky. In New York, you can get pretty much any sort of exotic produce--but for a premium. I hope you enjoy the spaghetti!
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We never get Meyer lemons in Utah either. They are something I always feel envious of them when I see them on blogs from California. This sounds just delicious.
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Yikes, I must be tired. Sorry about the very poor sentence construction in the previous comment.
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Hi .... I recognized the plate I bought you in Italy. Still have bags of Meyer lemons in the fridge .... The recipe looks yummy and I'm trying it out tonight! Hugs, Mom
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Hi Kalyn--I know, don't west coasters have it good? So much amazing produce.
Hi Mom--I love this plate. It looks great with the spaghetti, I think. Hope you like the pasta!
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I love this dish...what a great looking meal!
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I can imagine how great the flavor and the texture of this pasta are! Totally love it!
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Hello Gattina, Helene, and Kristen! Thank you so much for coming by and for your kind words--it's always great to have new visitors!
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Hey Sarah - been meaning to say hello since the dumpling party. This spaghetti looks so great - simple ingrediants but, I agree with the Times, perfect for winter!
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What beautiful photographs!
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Hey Vanessa--it's great to hear from you. Hopefully I'll see you at more blogger events soon!
Hello Bon Vivant--I really appreciate your kind words. And thank God for Photoshop, ha ha.
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While we were living in the basement, I printed out this recipe... I couldn't wait until making pasta became easy again! (Cooking on a puny hotplate with no sink nearby makes even boiling and straining a huge pain.) We made it last night -- the first new recipe in our new kitchen -- and both thought it was delicious.
We're lucky enough to have a Meyer lemon tree in our yard, so it's one of those great pantry recipes that I'm sure we'll make quite often. Thank you so much for sharing it!!
I'll be posting about it soon (when I have a spare moment, between unpacking the kitchen gear!) but in the meantime, there are Flickr photos here:
http://tinyurl.com/3djcqr
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Hi Anita--I'm honored you chose this pasta as an inaugural dish for your new kitchen! Congrats on completing the work--I'm sure the kitchen's beautiful and you must be so relieved to be able to cook again.
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I'm so glad Becks and Posh led me here! Great recipe, and lovely blog. And I live just north of where you nabbed these lemons . . . in Healdsburg
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