One-Pot Lemon Asparagus Pasta with Shrimp

Method

1. 1Prep everything before you start — this one moves fast. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and cut the spears into 4 cm pieces, keeping the tips separate. Mince the garlic and shallot. Zest both lemons and juice one of them. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
2. 2Heat olive oil in a wide, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and chili flakes, stir for 30 seconds — just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
3. 3Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 1 minute, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom. Add the broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Bring to a strong simmer.
4. 4Add the linguine, spreading it out so it sits mostly submerged. Cook uncovered, stirring every 2 minutes, for 8–10 minutes. The pasta will absorb most of the liquid and what remains will reduce into a loose, glossy sauce. If it looks dry before the pasta is done, add a splash of hot water and keep going.
5. 5When the linguine has about 2 minutes left — still with a noticeable bite — add the asparagus stalks. After 1 minute, add the asparagus tips and lay the shrimp in a single layer across the pan. Cook for exactly 2 minutes, turning the shrimp once halfway through, until they are pink and just curled into a loose C. Do not walk away.
6. 6Take the pan off the heat. Add the butter and half the parmesan, then toss everything together vigorously for about 30 seconds — this emulsifies the sauce and makes it cling to the pasta. Taste for salt and lemon, scatter the remaining parmesan and chopped parsley on top, and serve straight from the pan.