Arugula Salad with Pesto Shrimp, Parmesan and White Beans

Step 1

If frozen, thaw the shrimp under cool water, drain and pat dry with a paper towel, then place in a bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss with the garlic, kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Set aside for the flavors to meld for 20-30 minutes.

Step 2

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle the pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and add the shrimp one at a time, careful not to overcrowd the pan, cooking in two batches. Cook for 2 minutes on one side, then flip the shrimp and cook just until opaque, then transfer to a bowl. Reduce the heat slightly and add the rest of the shrimp and all of the oil and garlic from the bowl along with the tomatoes to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping the shrimp half way through and turning the tomatoes and garlic so the garlic doesn’t burn and get bitter. Take the skillet off the heat and transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the rest of the cooked shrimp and toss with the pesto, and set aside.

Step 3

Add the arugula to a bowl, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, a generous squeeze of lemon juice, and toss with your fingers to coat. Shave the Parmesan over the arugula, top with the beans and the tomatoes with all of the garlicky bits from the skillet. Season with more kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and eat it up.