1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped
6 ounces regular or light cream cheese
3/4 pound cooked, peeled shrimp, blotted very dry (about 1¼ pounds with shells)
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 to 4 ounces peeled cooked shrimp for garnish
Dill sprigs for garnish
Crackers, bread rounds and/or cucumber slices, for serving Dill Pesto Layer
3 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup fresh dill sprigs, lightly packed
3/4 cup fresh parsley sprigs, lightly packed
3/4 cup unsalted shelled pistachios or pecans
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
To make shrimp layer: In a food processor with the metal blade, pulse onion into small pieces. Add cream cheese, shrimp, lemon peel and juice, Tabasco, mustard and salt and pulse until incorporated. Process until smooth. Remove to a bowl.
To make pesto: In a clean processor bowl with the metal blade, process garlic, dill and parsley until minced. Add pistachios or pecans and process until finely chopped. Add oil and slat and process into a paste.
To assemble: Line a 3- to 4-cup mold with plastic wrap. Spoon half the shrimp mixture into the bottom, pushing it into the sides and smoothing the top with a knife. Spread with half the pesto. Top with remaining shrimp mixture, smoothing the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm. (The mold may be refrigerated overnight. Refrigerate shrimp garnish and pesto separately.)
To serve: Invert the mold onto a plate and remove plastic wrap. Spread remaining pesto over the top and garnish with shrimp and sprigs of dill. Serve with crackers, bread rounds or cucumber slices. Makes 3 cups.
