Pesto Pasta Salad with Salmon |
Recipe for Pesto Pasta Salad
Pesto
4 cups washed spinach leaves
3 garlic cloves
3 T pine nuts
handful fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup (or more if needed) olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt, fresh ground pepper
Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Pasta Salad
8 ounces bowtie pasta, cooked and cooled
4 T pesto
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (in oil) diced
1 T Parmesan cheese, grated
2 T Caesar dressing
2 thinly sliced scallions
Combine all ingredients. Garnish with more sliced scallions.
Salmon
1 lb salmon fillets with skin
1 T olive oil
Salt and pepper
Heat a skillet over moderate heat for 3-4 minutes. In the meantime put the salmon fillets on a plate and coat with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add fillets to pan, flesh side down. Cook over high heat until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn over and cook until skin is deeply browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to plate and serve with pasta.
Tomato Basil Soup
Tomato Basil Soup |
Tomato Basil Soup
1 28 ounce can chopped tomatoes plus 1 lb fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (plus additional for garnish)
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste
Combine tomatoes and stock in saucepan. Simmer for 30 minutes over medium low heat. Using immersion blender, puree carefully. Add basil and puree again. Add cream and butter. Stir over low heat until heated through. Add salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.
I have another version of this soup that I plan to make this evening. The 5 pounds of tomatoes are all fresh, roasted with 6 garlic cloves and 1/4 cup olive oil in the oven at 450 degrees for 40 minutes.
Saute a cup of chopped onions in 2 T oil, stir in 2 cups water, 2 t sugar, 1/2 t salt, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree with blender, add 1/2 cup heavy cream at the end.
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