It's Pisces Season! The time of year we gather to celebrate the birth of our high-priestess Rihanna and peak Meyer lemon season.

Last year on a trip to LA I kept freaking out over the number of Meyer lemon trees casually growing in my friends' backyard. One morning I took one of those idyllic Echo Park strolls, my pale-ass skin burning from exposure, when a lemon Issac-Newtoned itself and fell on my head. I came thiiiiis close to eating it on a pile of rotting lemons hanging out on a sidewalk blocks away from Sqirl. New York has actual trash. LA has lemon trash. I wondered if anyone would notice the gaps in their bumper crop that year were I to to fill up my suitcase with them. “It’s L.A." I reasoned, "They already have all the nice weather and the good tacos, they don’t need ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL LEMONS. I can save them from becoming lemon trash!”

I have developed, if you haven’t guessed by now, something of a citrus situation. 

Were you to scope out my fridge today you might wonder “what pirate warding off scurvy lives here?” I bought a solid dozen meyer lemons last week, market prices be damned. I had plans them in salt to make preserved lemons for later, OK? I’m turning the joint into a regular Little House On The Prairie. I made Whole Meyer Lemon bars. Meyer lemon tea. You get the idea.

A few years back I learned a neat hat trick for lemons. Roasting them in high heat renders them entirely edible; pith, peel and all the rest. The edges caramelize without losing any of the brightness you need during Bomb Cyclone weather. All that’s missing is the heat.

The floral sweetness of the meyer lemon makes it a natural foil for harissa. Here is a quick one-pan dinner you can make any night of the week. A pile of garlicky shrimp marinated in harissa along with crispy smashed fingerling potatoes and those nice, sticky lemon slices. Drag the shrimp through the harissa yogurt. Don’t be afraid to use your fingers. You can thank me later.

Harissa Roasted Shrimp, Meyer Lemons + Fingerling Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined
3 1/2 Cups Fingerling Potatoes
1 Large Yellow Onion
1 Meyer Lemon
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Divided

1 Tbs. Fennel Seeds
1/2 Teaspoon Urfa Biber or Aleppo Pepper (optional)
2 Garlic Cloves, Finely Minced
3 Tbs Harissa Paste, Divided
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Freshly Ground Pepper

1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
2 Tbs Lemon Juice
Fresh Dill

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 Degrees F.
2. In a small skillet, toast the fennel seeds and allow to cool slightly. Toss them into a mortar and pestle with the salt and pepper. Coarsely grind, then add the Urfa Biber or Aleppo Pepper if using, along with the cumin, 1 Tbs. of harissa, and minced garlic. Mix to incorporate, then add 2 Tbs. of olive oil and mix again. This is your marinade for the shrimp.
3. In a medium bowl, pour the harissa marinade over the shrimp and stir to combine (I find the hands are the best tools for the job here! but if you’d scared of getting spicy all over your hands, you can always whip our a pair of tongs). Allow to marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 5 hours.
4. Bring a medium sized saucepan of water to a boil. Add 2 tsp. of salt and the fingerling potatoes. Boil the potatoes for 15-20 minutes, enough to make them tender but not fully cooked through. I like to test them by piercing one with the tip of a paring knife. When they slip off the knife but still have a little give to them, they’re ready to drain. Drain into a colander over the sink and allow to cool slightly. 
5. Meanwhile, peel and slice the onion into sixths. Thinly slice the meyer lemon.
6. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or tin foil. Place the fingerling potatoes on the pan and using the bottom of a coffee cup gently press down to them. The trick is to keep them in tact while creating enough surface area to ensure the skins get nice and crispy on the outside while the inside stays fluffy. Add the onion wedges and meyer lemon sliced and remaining 2 Tbs. of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to gently mix everything together and then distribute into an even layer on the pan.
7. Roast the potatoes, onion and lemon for 20 minutes in the oven. Add the shrimp to the pan over the top. Roast for another 8-10 minutes, keeping an eye on it, until the shrimp is cooked through. You’re looking for it to be pink and firm. Remove from oven.
8. To serve: Stir the greek yogurt in a small bowl with the lemon juice. Add the remaining Tbs. of harissa paste and gently swirl it. Divide the shrimp, potatoes and lemon among 4 plates or shallow bowls. Serve alongside the Harissa Yogurt sauce.

Serves 4.