Shrimp with Pesto

I absolutely love pesto. I like to put it on shrimp, pizza, spread it on a tomato mozzarella sandwich or simply toss with pasta and I’m in heaven! The combination of garlic, basil, pine nuts and fresh Parmesan is enough to drive me crazy. If you want something different than your standard marinara or Alfredo sauce, this is it. After one taste, I have no doubt you will put it on everything…

Shrimp with Pesto
Serves 6

Ingredients
½ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds uncooked jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
Blend the basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add ¼ cup of olive oil, processing until well blended. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Toss the shrimp with the extra-virgin olive oil in a large bowl to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss again.

Heat a heavy large skillet over high heat. Working in 2 batches, add the shrimp and sauté until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Toss the shrimp with enough pesto to coat.

Transfer the shrimp to a platter and serve.