Linguine with Bacon, Shrimp and Avocado Pesto
For this easy pasta dish we combined linguine, shrimp, crispy bacon, fresh tomatoes and sweet onion with a creamy, guacamole-style pesto sauce. A food processor makes short work of the avocado, cilantro, fresh-squeezed lime juice and garlic, so the entire dish comes together in a little more than 30 minutes.
- Ingredients:
- 3/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 ounces linguine
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice (from 2 limes)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 4 lime wedges
Preparation:
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
Fry the bacon pieces until crisp, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, blot and set aside.
Drain all the excess bacon fat from the pan, but don't wipe clean. Heat over medium-high heat and add the shrimp. Cook until they turn bright pink and opaque, turning frequently, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
To make the pesto, combine the avocado, olive oil, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, salt and a few grinds of black pepper in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy.
Cook the linguine according to package directions and drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta liquid to the pesto and pulse once or twice.
Place the linguine, shrimp, bacon, onion and tomatoes in a large pasta bowl. Add the pesto and toss to combine. Serve immediately with wedges of fresh lime.
Makes 4 servings
Recipe Notes:
This dish is fine when served at room temperature, so don't worry about reheating the shrimp or the bacon.
This is an original recipe created & tested by the editors of MyGourmetConnection
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