Easy Roasted Shrimp & Scallops with Herby Pesto

This dish draws inspiration from a traditional Italian Mediterranean meal, with roots in the regional cooking of Naples and Sicily. It’s simple, fresh, and full of classic flavors.

The pesto gets a bright twist from a splash of lemon juice. The citrus helps mellow the sharpness of raw garlic and adds a vibrant note to the sauce—an easy upgrade to the traditional recipe.

Ingredients
For the pesto:

• 4 cups fresh basil, packed
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 cup pine nuts
• 1 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Seafood:

• 1/2 pound large shrimp, de-shelled and de-veined
• 1/2 pound medium scallops, cleaned

Instructions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Place the basil leaves in a food processor and process until well chopped. Add the garlic, and pine nuts, and blend.  Drizzle in the olive oil until fully incorporated into basil and it forms a thick smooth paste. Remove the basil paste from the food processor and place in a mixing bowl.  Add the cheese and lemon juice.  Mix completely.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a large bowl, add the shrimp, scallops and 1/3 of the pesto, and toss. Cover bowl with plastic wrap,  and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.  Spread pesto marinated shrimp and scallops on a baking sheet. Roast until edges of shrimp and scallops start to just brown; approximately 20 minutes.
4. On serving plate, place shrimp and scallops and drizzle remaining pan juices and pesto.  Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh parsley.