My friend Pilar requested some Italian dishes so I thought I would start here. It is a twist on 2 great Italian Classics, Shrimp Scampi and Pesto. I figured what could be better than to combine the two. If you like garlic, shrimp, and basil you will love this. I’ll start with my Pesto recipe first. This dinner is for 4 people or 6 to 8 as an appetizer.
Ingredients
1 lb fresh cleaned basil leaves
1 pint olive oil
½ cup pine nuts
8 cloves garlic
4 tsp salt
2 cups of parmesan
½ cup of romano
6 ounces of butter cut into small pieces and partially frozen
In a food processor grind basil, nuts, garlic, and salt. When ground add oil in a thin stream while running to create an emulsion. Add cheeses and grind in. Add partially frozen butter cube by cube while grinding to make a paste.
Besides being used to dress the scampi, pesto goes great tossed with pasta and some fried pancetta. Spooned over a chicken breast or pork chop or some veal at the end of the cooking process or on a steak sandwich. It is a truly versatile ingredient.
Scampi with pesto
32 large shrimp thawed, peeled and de-veined
4 ounces olive oil
1 stick butter
8 cloves minced garlic
3 minced shallots
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbl chopped parsley
2 tbl chopped chervil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of pesto warmed gently over low heat so the butter doesn’t break
Melt butter in saute pan and add oil. When hot add shallots and garlic. When soft add shrimp and salt and pepper to taste. When shrimp are done add fresh herbs and red pepper flakes. Serve on individual plates or in a large dish and drizzle pesto over the top. The blended taste combination is heavenly. You can serve it with some pasta or rice or over slices of garlic toasts. I love a really good Pinot Grigio to go with it along with a big fresh salad.
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