SHRIMP & CIPOLLINI STEW WITH ONION PUREE

SERVES 4

IN LIGHT STEWS like this one, Onion Puree becomes a really valuable addition. I fold it in at the end to pull all the disparate ingredients together and give the dish depth.

1 cup packed fresh basil

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 large clove garlic

3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano

2 tablespoons Onion Puree (here)

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

4 cipollini onions, quartered

2 zucchini, cored and cut into ⅓-inch dice

1 cup cooked shell beans

4 cups Shrimp Stock (here)

¾ pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into thirds (peelings saved for stock)

3 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

Blanch the basil and parsley in a pot of salted boiling water for 15 seconds, then shock in a bowl of ice water. Combine the basil, parsley, garlic, cheese, onion puree, and ½ cup of the oil in a blender and puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper, then set the pesto aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, beans, and stock and simmer until the zucchini are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp and tomatoes and simmer until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the pesto, check the seasonings, then serve in bowls.