Shrimp with Macadamia Nut Pesto
Fresh basil, macadamia nuts, lemon juice make a delightful summer pesto, perfect for shrimp.
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
Macadamia Nut Pesto
- 2 cups tightly packed fresh picked basil leaves
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cups roasted salted macadamia nuts
- 1 cloves of garlic finely chopped before processing
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- dash of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For completion by hand
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup parmesan or Pecorino cheese optional
Shrimp and Pasta
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined
- 1/2 pound pasta
- 1/4 cup pasta water
- 8 grape tomatoes optional
Instructions
Macadamia Nut Pesto
- Place all ingredients except cheese into a food processor. You must chop the garlic first, which makes it much better to process and doesn't become a juice.
- I don't like to use a food processor for this because I can pulse it and keep some texture, which I prefer.
- I skipped the cheese in this recipe, but if using, add by hand at the end, before adding butter.
- Shrimp and Pasta
- Add oil to a frying pan and sautè shrimp for about one minute on each side, until there is no pink showing. Set aside.
- Cook pasta according to directions. (Save about 1/4 cup of pasta water).
- Add drained pasta to pan with shrimp. Add enough pesto to cover pasta. You can add a little pasta water back in, as the starchy water helps to thicken. Add a tablespoon at a time.
- Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Add as garnish to pasta dish.
Notes
Regarding cheese, sometimes I just use pecorino romano. You can also use parmesan cheese. I skip the cheese when using seafood.
Shrimp: We use a pound of shrimp, half pound pasta for 4 small servings. You can double this for larger servings or to serve six.
If you are adding this to pasta, reserve some pasta water (3 tablespoons or so) a little at a time to extend the pasta.
You may also heat the pesto on very very low and add in heavy cream for a creamy pesto pasta.