Mediterranean Pan-Seared Shrimp with Split Pea Puree and Parsley Pesto
Pan-seared shrimp served over a creamy, luscious yellow split pea puree and paired with lemony vibrant parsley pesto. A Mediterranean delicacy ready in 40 minutes.
Ingredients
SHRIMPS
- 1 lb shrimp peeled, deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 4 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed
- 2 tablespoons fennel leaves or dill
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper Freshly ground
SPLIT PEAS (FAVA)
- 1 cup (200g) yellow split peas
- 4-5cups (1-1,2 liter) water or vegetable broth
- 1 carrot shredded
- 1 onion sliced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon cumin ground
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper freshly ground
PARSLEY PESTO
- 2 cups parsley finely chopped
- 1 lemon the juice
- 5 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
YELLOW SPLIT PEA PUREE
- Place the split peas in a bowl and pour in tap water. Wait for 2-3 minutes and rinse them with plenty of water. Repeat until the water is crystal clear. Drain and transfer to a pot.
- In a big pot over high heat, add 4 cups out of 5 (1 liter out of 1.2) of water or vegetable broth, the carrot, the onion, olive oil, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove with a spoon the white foam that usually surfaces. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer. It takes more or less half an hour for the initial amount of liquid to be absorbed. Add salt, pepper, and cumin.
- Add gradually more water or broth, turn down the heat and stir until split peas are very tender and the texture is similar to a thick soup. At this point, stir quite often for about 10 minutes. Cooking time depends on the product.
- Remove from heat. Put the mixture in a food processor (or blender) and mix until smooth and creamy, like a puree.
SHRIMPS
- Season shrimp to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes for 2 minutes and then the shrimp and fennel or dill leaves. Don’t overcrowd the pan because the shrimp will steam instead of roast properly.*1 Sear shrimp until golden and opaque, about 1-3 minutes on each side (see the note below).*2 Don’t overcook them. Remove from heat.
PARSLEY PESTO
- Rinse the parsley well and gently pat it dry with a towel. Cut off the ends of the parsley stems and place the leaves in the bowl of a food processor. Add the lemon juice and pulse until the mixture is lightly minced. Add the olive oil in a thin stream and blend until combined. Season to taste.
Notes
1. If needed, cook the shrimp in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
2. Cooking time depends on the size of the shrimp. Roughly, 1 minute on each side for baby shrimp, 2 minutes on each side for medium-sized shrimp, and 3 minutes for big-size shrimp.
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