One thing that will bum me out, without fail, is seeing a wilted, mushy bunch of herbs that I didn’t get to in time. Just makes me feel terrible. So I had this nearly full bunch of cilantro in my produce drawer and no clue what to make with it. Aha! How about try it in pesto? This recipe for Shrimp with Cilantro Pesto was a big hit at dinner last night!
You can cook the shrimp however you like. Here, we just pan-fried them quickly with salt and pepper, and let the pesto do the heavy lifting in the flavor category. This comes together so quick it’s laughable. Make the pesto whenever you like – even the day before – and keep in the fridge until you are ready to eat. We ate this with roasted baby potatoes and roasted broccoli. The pesto was especially delicious on the potatoes. Try it and see!
Shrimp with Cilantro Pesto
Ingredients:
- 1 large bunch cilantro
- 1/3 cup toasted pepitas
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- juice of 1 lemon or lime
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
- Wash and shake the cilantro and trim about half an inch off the bottom of the stems. Place them in the bowl of a food processor. Blend with the pepitas, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Pour into a bowl and store in the fridge until ready to use.
- Prepare the shrimp: peel the shell off, remove the tail, and de-vein. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Heat a pan on medium-high, and quickly sauté the shrimp. They will only take about 2 minutes per side – don’t let them get tough and overdone! Remove shrimp from pan to a plate and serve with the cilantro pesto (and a squeeze of lemon if you like.)
Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana
To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!
About Dana Kim
