This has to be a pretty decadent lunch - but in reality it's quite healthy and fantastically delicious!Here's what you need:
For the Roasted Pepper Pesto:
1/2 cups picked basil leaves
1/2 cup of semi-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup of roasted red capsicum (peppers)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup roasted cashew nuts
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1 cup of quality extra virgin olive oil (though you may need more depending on how dry the mixture ends up being)
salt and pepper
Vienna Loaf, thick sliced and toasted
Handful of cooked and peeled shrimp
Whole Egg Mayonnaise
Butter lettuce (or any frill-ice etc - avoid iceberg lettuce!)
Here's what you do:
To make the Roasted Pepper Pesto, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend together. Any remaining pesto can be stored in air-tight containers in the fridge for a few months. As with other pestos, ensure a layer of olive oil covers the top to keep the pesto from changing colour. Also keep in mind: this particular pesto tends to expand (for some reason) in the fridge - so do not top up your jars, otherwise you'll find a friendly squirt as you open the lid!
Thickly slice the Vienna Loaf and then toast it. Spread the Roasted Pepper Pesto on the bread, slay some shrimp across it, spread the whole egg mayonnaise and then top off with some lettuce. Dress lightly with some more of the extra virgin olive oil and you've got yourself a fantastic lunch!
Serve with a crisp and fruity white wine.
Try this:
Replace the shrimp with whole cooked, peeled and halved prawns. You could also go the whole hog and replace the prawns with lobster! But I'm too poor for that.
A small squeeze of lemon juice to the seafood can also add some extra zing to the flavours.
