Take it easy

 I think one of the things I got wrongest about lockdown in the first few days was the assumption that I'd be desperate for things to pass the time. #BoredBaking was a hashtag that assumed this would be the problem. But what I mainly am is tired. I know that's partly about still working rather than being furloughed, but I'm not actually that busy at work at the moment and I am still utterly knackered. (I will be more knackered next week when the pace picks up, but this is a week when I've no rational work reason to be so drained.) This is a tiring time. I may not have to commute, but I have spent a minimum 2 hours per week Doing Exercise, or deliveries or other trudging walking movement. The doomscrolling is very tiring. The 100000 dead people are a weight on my mind. I am tired, and there's bloody February to get through still - my least favourite month. February fill-dike, and it's sopping in the parks already.

So, what's the solution? Well, quick tasty dinners are definitely a part of it. This one takes pasta-cooking time and no more. It's only easy if you are within procuring distance of potted shrimps. If not, definitely don't bother, it would be a fiddle and a half to do. But if you are, it's a gift. 

Spinach and shrimp pasta (Home Cookery Year again, bless it)

Cook some pasta, drain and reserve a splosh of cooking water till needed.

When it's getting on for done, wilt some spinach in some butter. (The recipe is actually called brown butter whatnot but in fact there's no instruction about browning the butter and I don't care enough to do it.)

Take a lemon, zest half of it, then squeeze out the juice of that half (for one person). Add both to the spinach pan just before serving, or they will turn the leaves brown. Take some capers, if you have some. I'd imagine the recipe will survive without. Take a pot of shrimps. 

Then melt the potted shrimps into your buttery spinach, and add the capers. Stir briefly. Emulsify with pasta water if it's dry (unlikely). Serve. The lighting does it no favours, but this is quite pretty and simple as anything while being quite complex in flavours.

That's it. Do yourself a favour.  

Will be on wine tomorrow, but if you're lucky I'll tell you about this lovely thing.

I'll be around for Confined Cocktails tomorrow, probably a tidge early as I will be forsaking you for a live show at 7.30. I will be dining on a posh meal kit from Dishpatch, and I will be taking things easy. It's been a difficult month, following a difficult year. Let's not try too hard, hmm?

[I note that #QuickAndTired was already a tag. That.]