Lemon cuts richness of cream sauce

By DEBORAH S. HARTZ
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
I really like the sprightly taste of lemon. Not only does it perk up the flavor of other ingredients, it can help cut the richness of a dish. You'll experience this if you make Creamy Lemon Fettuccine. For this, you simply steep lemon zest in cream until the citrus flavor infuses it. Then pour this simple sauce over cooked pasta.
Keep portions small as this dish is rich, rich, rich. Make it the primi course in an Italian meal. Or try it as a side dish with broiled or grilled fish or chicken.
CREAMY LEMON FETTUCCINE
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fine-grated lemon zest
1 pound dried fettuccine
Water
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more for cooking pasta)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch fresh-ground black pepper
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley
Bring cream just to a boil in a nonreactive medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove saucepan from heat, add zest and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Pour through a strainer into a nonreactive container.
Meanwhile, cook fettuccine in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain, rinse with hot water and drain again.
Add butter to pasta pot and melt over medium heat. Add pasta, cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; toss to coat pasta. Increase heat to medium high and bring sauce to a boil, tossing gently. Cook, stirring constantly, 4 to 5 minutes until almost all cream is absorbed. Serve immediately topped with chives. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Per serving: 216 calories, 41 percent calories from fat, 10 grams total fat, 32 milligrams cholesterol, 6 grams saturated fat, 5 grams protein, 27 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total fiber, 87 milligrams sodium.
XRecipe adapted from Lemon Zest (Broadway Books, 2002) by Lori Longbotham.