Jobless Zone Diet: Meyer lemon pasta

This cooking segment is a new, recurring feature – but I hope it won’t be too recurring.

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Cutting back expenses can help get anybody through periods of unemployment, but it doesn’t mean you have to subsist on Ramen noodles or mac-n-cheese in a box. I’ve been trying new ways to save money and make tasty, healthful meals. It’s all part of what I call the Jobless Zone Diet.

This first dinner experiment (recipe below) started when I had several Meyer lemons lying around. I’m lucky to have friends with an ever-fruitful tree who often give me bags of fruit they can’t use. (Thanks, Mark and Dave!)

I realize that Meyer lemons may not be available in some parts of the country, so I guess the takeaway point really is this: Find ways to use free leftover food from your friends – whether it’s vegetables from the garden or dry oatmeal cookies their kids won’t eat.

I adapted a recipe I clipped from the San Francisco Chronicle years ago to make my own version. The estimated cost for this dinner: $3 (if you don’t add meat – see note below).

Meyer Lemon Pasta

Serves 2 (or 1 as a main course for people like me)

• 1 Meyer lemon
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ lb whole-wheat spaghetti
• 3 tbsp shredded (or grated) Parmesan cheese
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Use a lemon zester and a little pressure to drag the zester along the lemon, creating as many longish strands of lemon peel as you can. (If you don’t have a lemon zester, you can use a paring knife to slice off thin sections of the peel, and then julienne those sections into very thin strands.) Set the zest aside.

2. Squeeze the juice out of the lemon, reserve and set aside.

3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in the oil. Once the garlic begins to sizzle and become fragrant, cook for 2 minutes before removing from heat. Do not let garlic turn brown.

4. Prepare the pasta in a pot of boiling water, according to the package directions. Reserve about ¼ cup of the cooking water before draining the cooked pasta. Drain pasta, and return it to the pot.

5. Put the pot on stove over low heat. Add the reserved water, lemon zest, and half of the cheese. Stir. Add the lemon juice and stir for 10 seconds or so.

6. Divide pasta into bowls (if serving two). Sprinkle with remaining cheese and pepper, to taste.

NOTE: This is an easy, inexpensive dinner by itself. But it’s also a great base for experimentation. I like to add in a small, cooked cod or tilapia fillet. Or cooked chicken or turkey. You could also try adding some spinach or broccoli.

I made this last night, as you can see in the photo. I added a cod fillet and ate the whole thing myself. The Jobless Zone hasn’t had much effect on my big appetite.

Got any tips to share? Please post a comment.