Kale Lemon Pasta with Preserved Lemons

Yesterday, we talked about preserved lemons. Today, I'm sharing with you a great way to use this unique condiment in a delicious and easy pasta dish.

One of the many reasons why I love pasta is because you can use up all of your leftover odds and ends and turn it into a wonderful meal. And that's exactly what this recipe does!

It's a lemony cream sauce pasta, but I promise it's not a heavy and gloopy sauce. The lemon juice and zest, in addition to the preserved lemon peel, elevates the dish and prevents it from feeling heavy.

Enjoy!

Kale Lemon Pasta with Preserved Lemons

Inspired from Smitten Kitchen

1 pound spaghetti

Salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 bunch of lacinato kale, chopped into one-inch pieces

3 lemons

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 tablespoons preserved lemons

Ground black pepper

Cook pasta in extremely salted water (it should taste like the ocean) until your pasta is al dente.

Meanwhile, when the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a pan over medium. Add the kale to the oil, and saute lightly. Add the juice from 3 lemons, in addition to 1 tablespoon of zest from your lemons. Then, add the heavy cream, and let it simmer to thicken the sauce.

When the pasta is al dente, drain the water, reserving a 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the pan with kale and cream sauce, in addition to the cooking liquid. Continue cooking on medium for a minute or two longer. 

Turn off the heat, adding the cheese, preserved lemons, and ground pepper.

Preserved Lemons

My best friend Vivian brought me a special treat this winter, bags filled with Meyer lemons! Her parents have a Meyer lemon tree and didn't know what to do with all of those lemons, so she brought some over to me.

Instead of whipping up a batch of lemonade or lemon bars, I decided to make preserved lemons. Preserved lemons are basically pickled lemons, and according to Wikipedia (the font of all knowledge), preserved lemons are a popular condiment in Indian and South African cuisine. You actually serve the preserved lemon peel, not the flesh.

There are lots of reasons to love preserved lemons. First, they provide a nice tart and briny punch to whatever you add them to. Secondly, it allows you to take advantage of Meyer lemons even after they're out of season. Oh, and they are easy to make. Always a plus in my book!

I'll feature a recipe tomorrow showing you how to use these preserved lemons!

Preserved Lemons

Recipe from NPR

4 lemons (ideally organic!)

4 tablespoons of salt

Juice from 4 lemons, plus more to taste

Wash and scrub the lemons well. Quarter the lemons almost completely through, so that the lemons are still attached at the stem. Stuff each lemon with a tablespoon of salt, and close the lemon. 

Put the lemons in a sterilized canning jar, and squeeze the lemons down so that they are squashed together. Leave the jar out for 3-4 days, allowing the skin to soften. 

Then, add lemon juice so that the lemons are completely submerged. Close the jar and leave in a cool place for at least a month. 

Before using, scoop out and discard the pulp, and rinse the lemon peel under the tap to get rid of any extra salt. 

Favorite Finds: Brown Water Coffee

Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I am a coffee snob. Part of me hates the fact that I insist on non-Starbucks coffee and I have a preference for Blue Bottle over Four Barrel. If I am going to spend the money on coffee, I want it to be exactly to my liking!

Now, what if I told you that you could get coffee-snob approved beans in addition to helping someone get access to clean drinking water? It's a no-brainer, right?

Brown Water Coffee ships you coffee within 72 hours of roasting, so you get the freshest and best tasting coffee possible. I just ordered their Honduras San Vicente coffee, and I am loving the result. It makes my morning commute so much better to have a delicious and hot cup of coffee with me!

For every bag of beans that someone buys, they provide clean drinking water to an individual. I wish they had more details on exactly what their one-for-one model entails, but I do like their social mission. This year, they are working on a clean water project in Nicaragua. I take for granted that I have clean drinking water, and enough clean drinking water to make delicious coffee.

Check out all of their coffees here!

Puerto Vallarta!

Hi everyone! I am sorry for the lack of posts last week. I went to Puerto Vallarta, was delayed heading home, and then was only home fore three days before leaving for DC for the weekend. It's been a very hectic two weeks.

I'm writing this post from the Atlanta airport right now. Outside it's gray, dark, and rainy, but I'm inside looking at these photos from Mexico which are just filled with sunshine and color...the perfect start to the first work week of Spring!

Z's family and I went to Puerto Vallarta for a few days to relax and soak in the sun. We stayed a resort south of the city that had a great view of the ocean and beaches. We laid out by the pool, spent some time paddleboarding, and ate a lot of guacamole!

I particularly loved the flavored waters and juices the resort would distribute to everyone. My favorite was a honeydew, lime and mint combination that was simply delicious. I'm definitely inspired to create more interesting non-alcoholic drinks like this.




We also had to order a few tropical drinks, mainly because I've had "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" stuck in my head for the past few weeks.

We also went out for an amazing dinner to celebrate Z's sister's birthday at a restaurant called Cafe Des Artistes. They brought out a very traditional ceviche, but then we enjoyed delicious French food the rest of the night. They sure know how to celebrate a birthday!

What family vacations have you enjoyed recently? Where do you want to go next?

Weekend Links!

Hi everyone! I am in Mexico this weekend with Z's family and we're getting some R&R. Snorkeling is on the schedule for today! Hope you have a relaxing weekend as well!

Find out about how the artisanal toast craze started with Trouble Coffee. {link}

Food52 came out with a new podcast, and it is great! {link}

Shared these great maps of the US with my teammates at work {link}

Hello, dream job and kitchen! {link}

This print is great, and I want everything by this artist! {link}

If the major cities were made of food...{link}

Floral spirits for your next cocktail party {link}

Reading this book and I love it. {link}

Beer + politics + taxes {link}

Wishing this group would create an SF outpost! {link}

Wanting this shirt from Kit & Ace {link}