Peppery Pasta with Arugula and Shrimp

Spring has definitely sprung in middle Tennessee. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the pollen has coated everything. That hasn't stopped us from eating outside though and enjoying the weather. And I absolutely love spring food. As fancy as this meal sounds, it was featured in the "Feed 4 for less than $10" section of Cooking Light. Halving the shrimp makes it go further, and the arugula bulks up the pasta. The contrast of textures in this meal is delightful. Make sure you use fresh-ground or other high-quality pepper.

Peppery Pasta with Arugula and Shrimp
source: April 2010 Cooking Light
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic, divided
1 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 5 oz package fresh baby arugula
4 quarts water
8 oz uncooked linguine (or other long, thin pasta)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb peeled and deveined medium shrimp, cut in half horizontally
2 tbsp minced shallots
3/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup shaved fresh Romano cheese

Preparation

1. Combine 2 tsp garlic, 1 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp salt, and arugula in a large bowl; toss well.
2. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta, cooking 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain. Add hot pasta to arugula mixture, and toss well until the arugula wilts.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Saute 1 minute. Add 1 tsp garlic and shallots. Saute 1 minute or until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp from pan. Add broth and juice to pan to deglaze, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Return shrimp to pan. Remove from heat, and stir in butter.
4. Arrange 1 1/2 cups pasta on each of 4 plates. Spoon 1/3 cup shrimp mixture over each serving. Top with 2 tbsp cheese each.
   

Nutritional Information
Calories: 409
Fat: 12.5 g
Protein: 26.1 g
Carb: 46 g
Fiber: 2.1 g
Chol: 107 g
Sodium: 671 mg