Shrimp-Onion Crostinis With Almond-Parsley Pesto

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb shrimp, I used pre-cooked but fresh is fine
• 1/2 loaf Italian bread, day old is fine
• plenty olive oil
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 green onion
• 4 grape tomatoes or 1 tomato
• fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1 tablespoon butter or extra-light vegetable oil spread
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. 1

   Make the pesto (this can be done ahead): Stick a palmful of almonds, a small handful of parsley, and a heart attack-inducing amount of salt in a food processer until it's nice and crumbly (don't worry about the salt, the pesto will be eaten in small portions!) Beat together about a tablespoon of softened butter with a couple glugs of olive oil until the butter floats around in little clumps. Mix oil mixture and almond/parsley mixture together and add freshly ground pepper. Taste it because it probably needs more salt, then plastic-wrap your container and put it in the fridge for later or continue the recipe.

2. 2

   Preheat the broiler.

3. 3

   If you're using fresh shrimp, shell and take the yucky stuff out, butterfly, then cook, saute, or grill with olive oil and black pepper. If using pre-cooked shrimp, thaw.

4. 4

   Thinly slice the onion, and preserve the circle shape while saute-ing gently in oil just until tender, ~5 minutes.

5. 5

   Slice the bread 1-1.5 inches thick and lay out on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with olive oil.

6. 6

   Thinly slice tomatoes, cover each crostini with one layer (either one slice from a big tomato or three slices from a grape tomato).

7. 7

   Place a slice of the onion on top of each tomato, lay one (jumbo) or two (small) shrimp on top of the onion. Sprinkle chopped green onion over the tops.

8. 8

   Broil until the bread is nice and toasty, about 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Spoon a small amount of pesto onto each crostini, and serve.

10. 10

    For bonus points, sprinkle with mozerella cheese!