Cheap and Easy Dinner Ideas: Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli

Last night I started out with this:

And 20 minutes later served this:

We joined a CSA this summer, and every week we go to the local UU church
to pick up our share of the ever changing offerings of local member farms.

This week we got a bunch of broccoli that was such a bright green it looks blanched in the photo
but I swear it has only been trimmed.

Setting the trimmed broccoli aside, I put a stock pot of water on to boil for
a pound of thin whole wheat spaghetti and minced up 6 cloves of garlic.

I took a bag of frozen shrimp, shook them out into a large bowl
and filled the bowl with hot water so that the shrimp would thaw
in the time it takes to cook the pasta.

While the shrimp was thawing and the spaghetti finally got into the boiling water,
I heated two glugs of olive oil and a couple tablespoons of butter in my big cast iron skillet.
When the butter melted I added the garlic, along with a couple teaspoons of capers with a little juice from the jar, and a whole can of flat anchovies.

Using a wooden spoon, I mashed the anchovies into a smooth paste
that sort of melted into the butter and oil.
I wish there was a way to include a scratch and sniff patch on your screen
because this smelled like Heaven.
Because Heaven has got to have a Little Italy.
With filled to order cannolis.
But I digress.

Stir the stuff around, and when there is a minute left on the pasta timer,
put the broccoli into the boiling water.
If you like your broccoli, um, mushier, then put it in with three minutes left on the clock.

Drain the spaghetti and the broccoli and put them into a large serving bowl.
Drain the shrimp and add them to the skillet.
Stir around for a minute or two to blend the flavors,
then tip the contents of the skillet into the serving bowl.
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes to taste,
and toss to combine.

One pound of pasta, with a two pound bag of shrimp, easily serves 6 people,
8 if you have a lot of bread and butter to go with.