Yes, there really ARE shrimp desserts! Shrimp Boat Tartlets made of shrimp and fruit in a pastry “boat,” come to mind. Then there’s Shrimp Fiesta Mold, which pairs shrimp and fruit in lime gelatin. The point is, you could have an entire shrimp meal, if you wished.
But shrimp is often best in recipes like this one, where it is paired with pasta and coated in a savory sauce. You can easily find already prepared pesto sauces in your local market. Look in the area where they display spaghetti sauces, or in the refrigerated section where they sell various sauces. If you cannot find one, pesto is quite easily made by blending fresh basil, garlic and olive oil.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup basil pesto
½ cup chicken broth
8 oz. spiral pasta
Fresh basil, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta according to package instructions.
While pasta is cooking, heat large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil – it should run without sizzling. Add shrimp, season shrimp with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, cook for about 3 minutes, turning once midway, until shrimp is pink and cooked through. Remove shrimp from the skillet.
Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the same, now empty, skillet. Add sliced mushrooms. Season mushrooms with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms release liquid and reduce in volume and get soft, for about a minute or two. Add back the cooked shrimp. Add ½ cup basil pesto and ½ cup chicken broth. On medium heat, mix everything to combine. Remove from heat.
When pasta has finished cooking, drain and add to the shrimp with sauce. Top with chopped fresh basil.
USE RED NEXT PAGE LINK BELOW
Quick Tip: Pre-cooked, frozen shrimp can be used in this recipe with no sacrifice to the taste. They will probably be less expensive than fresh shrimp, too.
Recipe and photo courtesy of Julia at juliasalbum.com
Leave A Comment