Fun fact: Pesto doesn't need to contain basil! In fact, the word pesto in Italian, just means "ground" or "pounded" and any combination of nuts, cheese, oil, and greens can work.
In this instance, we took freshly trimmed and blanched snap peas, mixed them with mint, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil, and almonds. Blended together, everything creates a mild, spring-like sauce that just absolutely sings when it's spread across a piece of toast and topped with a pink shrimp. It'll keep for a couple days in the fridge, so you can make the pesto ahead, and then just combine everything at the last minute. Serve it as an appetizer, pair it with cocktails, or make it the centerpiece of a fun snack dinner!
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Yields: 6 - 8 serving(s)
Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Ingredients
Save Recipe- 1 tbsp.
roasted almonds
- 2 tbsp.
fresh mint, plus more for garnish
- 4 oz.
snap peas, trimmed and blanched
- 1
clove garlic, chopped
- 3/4 oz.
Parmesan, grated (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 c.
olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 16
slices baguette, toasted
- 16
medium shrimp, cooked and peeled
Directions
- Step 1Combine almonds, mint, peas, garlic, and Parmesan in a blender or food processor. Pulse, scraping down the sides as needed, until finely chopped, 12 to 15 times. With the machine running, slowly add oil until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 2Arrange baguette slices on a platter. Top with pesto then shrimp. Garnish with mint and season with pepper.
Tip: When you prep snap peas, you'll want to remove the tough "string" that lines the outside edge. You can find stringless varieties and some stores sell them already trimmed, but we find that, if you put a little music on and give yourself about 5 minutes, it's an easy, dare we say meditative task. Just snap the very tip off one end of the pea and start pulling. You should see the string unzip from the inner side of the pea. A paring knife can also help.
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