Shrimp Pesto →

Garden tomatoes and freshly made pesto together are a perfect example of simple, flavorful, fragrant Italian cooking. (cucina contadina) You can have this delicious dish combining tomatoes, pesto, and shrimp sauteed in garlic and fresh herbs on the table in about 20 minutes. I prefer to prepare the tomato-pesto sauce first while bringing my pot of water to a boil. Adding the pasta to the boiling water before sauteing the shrimp allows for the pasta to be done by the time you have added the sauteed shrimp to the sauce and brought it to a simmer. The goal is to add the flavors of the garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon juice to the shrimp without overcooking them. If your pesto already has Parmesan in it, wait until you add the shrimp to the sauce to adjust the salt if necessary. Serve garnished with fresh chopped basil and toasted pine nuts. (optional) Don’t forget a good crusty loaf of bread to sop up the sumptuous sauce. A simple green salad dressed with a vinaigrette completes the meal.

Shrimp Pesto
Serves 4

The Steps:
1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil while you do the following:
2. Prepare the tomato-pesto sauce.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water.
4. Sautee the shrimp and herbs.(only about 1-2 minutes)
5. Add the sauce to the shrimp and just bring to a simmer. (3-5 minutes)
6. Once done to al dente, dress the pasta with a little sauce to keep it from drying out.
7. Plate and serve.

For the Sauce:
Ingredients:

• ½ cup pesto (preferably homemade, but bottled is ok)

• ½ cup crushed canned tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 4 cloves of garlic

• 8 ounces clam juice

• ¼ cup dry white wine

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Preparation:
Sautee the garlic until fragrant. (not brown)
Add the tomatoes and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Add the pesto, clam juice, wine, and lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add ½ pound of thin linguine to the boiling water while you saute the shrimp. Cook according to directions on the box to al dente. Fresh pasta cooks in about a minute at a full boil.

For the Shrimp:
Ingredients:

• 1 pound of large shrimp (21-25 count)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 clove of garlic minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped (1 teaspoon dried)

• 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped (1 teaspoon dried)

• pinch of oregano

• pinch of red pepper flakes

• a squeeze of lemon juice

Preparation:
Sautee the garlic for a minute until fragrant.
Add the shrimp and herbs and stir briefly to mix.
Add a squeeze of lemon juice and stir for about a minute.
Add the reserved tomato-pesto sauce and bring to a simmer.
Done! Don’t overcook the shrimp!

Photo: foodblogchef 2020

Assemble the dish:
Drain the pasta and dress the pasta with a ¼ cup of the tomato-pesto sauce.
Serve on a platter family style or individual plates of pasta topped with sauce and 4-6 shrimp per person.
Garnish with chopped fresh basil and toasted pine nuts. (optional)
Sprinkle with parmesan.

Wine pairing: fresh, bright wines that can stand up to the richness of the pesto and acidity of the tomatoes are a good choice: Vermentino, Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc for white wines; young inexpensive fruity Pinot Noir, Barbera, Beaujolais, or a lighter Tempranillo are red wines that should work. During warm weather, a slightly chilled Rose would be perfect.