Shrimp And Penne With Spring Herb Pesto Recipes

PENNE WITH SHRIMP AND SCALLION PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions for al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water and then drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, put the scallion greens, parsley, pine nuts, 1/4 cup oil, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse the until smooth. Set aside.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallion whites, garlic and lemon zest, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is soft and is begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp just begin to turn pink but are not completely cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and scallion mixture, toss to combine, and bring to a quick simmer to heat through; remove from the heat.
• Add the drained pasta and reserved cooking water to the skillet. Toss until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Divide the pasta among 4 plates and season with pepper. Serve with lemon wedges and a green salad if using.
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PENNE WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Meanwhile, pluck the basil leaves from the stems (you should have about 2 cups leaves). Wash the leaves in a large bowl of cold water and dry in a salad spinner or pat dry with paper towels. Smash and peel the garlic.
• Put the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the processor running, gradually add the olive oil and process until the pesto is smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl and stir in the cheese. Season with the salt and some pepper.
• Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil over high heat and salt it generously. Add the penne and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and save about 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the bowl. Use tongs and toss with enough of the cooking water so the pesto coats the pasta evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
• Upgrades: a. Make the pesto creamy by adding 1/4 cup ricotta cheese when processing the basil, garlic, and pine nuts. This is great with tortellini or ravioli. b. Top dressed pesto pasta with 1/2 pound diced large or halved small fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), 3 medium tomatoes cut in large chunks, and 1/2 cup pitted black olives, (we like kalamata for this), roughly chopped. c. Add cooked 1 to 2 cups chicken or shrimp.
• Twists on Pesto: In place of basil, try the following combination: 1 cup parsley, 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves. Substitute walnuts for the pine nuts

PENNE WITH SHRIMP AND HERBED CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and set aside.
• Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup basil, 1/4 cup parsley, and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine, clam juice, and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the cooked shrimp, the cooked pasta, and the remaining herbs. Toss together until all ingredients are coated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

SPRING HERB PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor, process parsley, mint, almonds, and olive oil until smooth.

SHRIMP PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• If frozen, thaw the shrimp.
• Start a pot of well salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until it is just al dente. Start tasting a few minutes before the package recommends: you want it to be tender but still a little firm on the inside; usually around 7 to 8 minutes. Just before draining, reserve 1 cup pasta water! Then drain the pasta.
• Pat the shrimp dry. In a medium bowl, mix the shrimp with spices. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Cook the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side until opaque and cooked through, turning them with tongs. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Place the pasta in a bowl (not the pasta pot). Stir together the pasta, pesto, and 1/2 cup pasta water, tossing with tongs until the pesto is well distributed and the pasta water forms a creamy sauce. Add more pasta water if desired. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and taste. If the flavor doesn't pop, add a few more pinches until it does. Top with the cooked shrimp and serve immediately. (Store any leftovers refrigerated: note that pesto can get gummy when reheated, so it's best to eat leftovers cold or room temp.)

PENNE WITH SHRIMP, FETA, AND SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne 5 minutes less than al dente. Add asparagus; cook 3 minutes. Add shrimp and snow peas; cook 2 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta mixture, and return to pot.
• To pasta mixture, add oil, lemon juice, garlic, and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Gently mix in feta and mint; adjust to desired consistency with some pasta water as needed. Serve immediately.

PENNE WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onion is tender. Mix in wine and tomatoes, and continue cooking 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Mix shrimp into the skillet, and cook 5 minutes, or until opaque. Toss with pasta and top with Parmesan cheese to serve.