Cilantro Pesto Shrimp over Broiled Tomatoes
Author: 
Serves: 2 lb shrimp
 
Ingredients
  • 2 lb peeled & deveined shrimp (medium sized)
  • 3 roma tomatoes, halved
  • ¾ cup cilantro leaves
  • 2½ cups arugula
  • ⅓ cup olive oil + 2 tbsp
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • ¾ cup cotija cheese (shredded)
  • 1 garlic clove (pressed)
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. First what you'll want to do is fire up the grill for direct heat. Since you'll be grilling shrimp you'll either want to skewer them together to prevent shrimp drop offs OR use a grill pan made for the grill. I did the latter.
  2. Next while grill is heating up, set your oven to broil.
  3. In a baking dish (or any heat safe dish that you want to serve your shrimp in) add your roma tomatoes, cut side up. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil & salt and pepper.
  4. Broil tomatoes for 5-8 minutes until the top edges begin to darken. Remove from oven and set aside.
  5. Next in a food processor add your cilantro, 2½ cups arugula, ⅓ cup olive oil, pine nuts, cotija cheese & pressed garlic. Process until a chunky paste forms.
  6. Salt & Pepper to taste and process again until blended. Set aside.
  7. Now to get ready for the grilling. First rinse your shrimp and then pat dry (leaving tails on). In a large bowl add the shrimp & 1 tbsp of olive oil. Sprinkle a little salt & pepper and toss. If using skewers, skewer your shrimp here. Or set a grill pan on the grill over the direct heat.
  8. Next add your shrimp to grill over direct high heat and grill about 2½ minutes per side.
  9. Remove shrimp from grill and place in a large bowl. Squeeze a lemon half and pour ½ of your pesto to the bowl and toss.
  10. Add pesto shrimp to baking dish with broiled tomatoes. Pour a little more pesto on top of the dish and then the rest in a bowl for serving with an extra lemon half for optional drizzle.
Notes
This dish tastes great served with bread for dipping in the juices or adding the extra pesto.
Recipe by My Lavender Blues at https://mylavenderblues.com/cilantro-pesto-shrimp-over-broiled-tomatoes/