Pesto Shrimp Packets

New favorite recipe alert! This recipe from The Simple Skillet. Easy and delicious. The shrimp came from The Lobster Place at the Chelsea Market at $11.95/lb, which is more expensive than the $8 or $9/lb at the Metropolitan Fish Market, which sadly is closed on Sundays, but less expensive than Tops on the Waterfront. Anyhow...

I love pesto, so I used more of it to make this, but the original measurements seemed kind of skimpy anyway.  So this is the modified version of the original recipe, using my own pesto recipe.  You can obviously also used pre-made pesto. 

Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups basil leaves
3 tablespoons walnuts
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt to taste

1. Combine ingredients in a food processor and voila! Pesto.  Makes about 3/4 cup to 1 cup.

Pesto! 

Mixed with green onions and even more garlic:

Pesto Shrimp Packets

Ingredients

1 pound peeled and deveined shrimps (I also removed the tails)
4 tablespoons pesto
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
6 green onions, chopped (white and light green parts only)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup couscous
1 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2-4 cups fresh spinach

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix the pesto, green onions, garlic, and olive oil in a small bowl.  Set aside.

3. Rinse shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel.

4. Cut four pieces of foil, about 10 inches long each.  Curve up the sides on the foil so that no liquid will escape out when the time comes.  Place 1/4 cup of couscous into each piece of foil, spreading the couscous horizontally across the foil.  Evenly distribute the shrimp into each packet, laying them on top of the couscous. Spread pesto on top of the shrimp in each packet and pour equal amounts of broth (about 1/3 cup) over each package.  Bring together the sides of the foil, forming a packet, leaving room in the middle of each one for steam to rise.


5. Place packets on a baking sheet and cook for about 12 minutes.  Place shrimp/couscous contents from each packet on top of a handful of spinach and add more pesto and a little olive oil, if needed. Add salt to taste. 


These pictures may definitely help illustrate my long-winded explanation of how to assemble this:

Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli

This is a great, quick week night dinner that is perfect over some rice, quinoa, or grain. Top with plenty of fresh lemon juice.

Ingredients
From: The Wednesday Chef

2 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon ground)
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon ground)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot chili powder
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 1/4 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
Fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons oil, coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and chili powder. In a separate bowl, combine shrimp, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.


2. Spread broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Add shrimp to baking sheet and toss with broccoli. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until shrimp are just opaque and broccoli is tender and golden around edges, about 10 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges and top with fresh lemon juice.