Shrimp, Linguine and Basil

Directions

1. Peel and de-vain shrimp (Pat dry with paper towel).
2. Add 2-3 handfuls (1/2 box) of pasta to a pot of boiling water.
3. Prepare the basil sauce with either a blender or a stick mixer. Juice one lemon (if the lemons are small you may want to use one and a half) avoid seeds. Add a pinch of salt and pepper along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. If the basil is dirty let it sit in a large bowl of cold water until all the grit sinks to the bottom (a few minutes). Add a handful of basil leaves and blend. Repeat until all the basil is blended into the sauce. Add oil as needed until consistency resembles pesto (a thick sauce).
4. Heat up a frying pan on medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Once the pan is hot, cook the shrimp in batches to avoid over crowding the pan. Cook until the shrimp are pink. (Additional olive oil can be added as needed while cooking).
5. Remove the shrimp from the pan once cooked and lightly brown the minced garlic (~1 minute). Add the shrimp back to the pan along with 1/2 cup of white wine and cook until the alcohol has cooked off.
6. Drain the pasta when it is done cooking. Add the pasta back to the pot and combine with the shrimp/garlic/wine mixture, add the basil sauce last and toss.
7. Serve garnished with red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. A favorite side dish that is both simple and tasty is roasted garlic on toasts. [Place a clove of garlic drizzled with olive oil in tin foil. Bake at 350-375 for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Slice up a baguette and broil for a few minutes until toasted. Spread the soft roasted garlic on the toasts and enjoy!]