• Pan-Seared Shrimp with Spicy Cilantro Pesto and Butternut Squash•

Serves 4

Spicy Cilantro Pesto

  • 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

  • grated zest and juice of 1 small lime

  • 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves and small stems

  • 1 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 garlic clobes

  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Shrimp & Squash

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 3 cups 1/2-inch diced ppeled butternut squash

  • 1/4 cup 1/4-inch diced red bell peppers

  • 1 pound wild American extra-jumbo shrimp (U20 or 16/20 per pound), peeled and deveined

  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil or other vegetable oil for searing


Directions

Pesto:

  1. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a large saute pan (with a heatproof handle) over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan now and then. Transfer the toasted seeds to a food processor. You’ll be using the saute pan again, os just set it aside. Add all of the remaining pesto ingredients to the food processor and process until the mixture is still a little chunky, a minute or two. Set aside.

Shrimp:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Heat the same saute pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. When good and hot, pour in the oil and add the squash, tossing to coat with the oil. Shake the squash into a single layer and cook undisturbed until it begins to brown on the bottom for about 2 minutes. Scatter on the bell peppers and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the squash is barely fork-tender, another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the squash-pepper mix to a bowl, toss with about 1/4 cup of the pesto, and then cover loosely to keep it warm.

  2. Put the same pan over high heat. Season the shrimp with the salt and pepper as the pan heats up. Pour the grapeseed oil into the pan, swirling to coat the pan bottom. Add the shrimp, quickly shaking them into a single layer. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook undisturbed until the shrimp are lightly browned on the bottom, about 1-minute. Flip the shrimp with tongs and cook until the other side is lightly browned and the shrimp are pink, about another minute.

  3. Remove from the heat and toss with the remaining 3/4 c up pesto. Serve over the squash-pepper mix or alongside it.

Options:

  1. Serve the dish over jasmine rice with a little coconut milk stirred into the rice after cooking it to give it some creaminess.

  2. Replace the shrimp with 1-pound extra-firm tofu. Drain the tofu and place it in a colander in the sink. Place a small bowl on the tofu and put a large can of tomatoes or beans in the bowl. Let the tofu press for 20 mins to drain excess water. When drained, cut the tofu through the side into 4 thinner slabs. Season both sides of the tofu with a little salt and pepper, then sear as directed for the shrimp, allowing a little extra cooking time to brown the tofu on both sides.

  3. You can cook half tofu and half shrimp in separate pans if you have mixed company at the table.

  4. Leave out the Parmeasan to make the peso vegan or paleo, or serve it at the table for vegetarians.