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Grilled Salmon with Pesto Sauce
Pasta with Pesto
Menu Plan for the week of August 2, 2013: Day 1 Recipes
Grilled Salmon with Pesto Sauce
Pasta with Pesto Sauce
Green Beans with Bacon and Shallots
Cooking time: 40 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
We're using a bit of pesto - both in this menu and the Potato Salad on Sunday. Make it yourself, if you can, if not get a good commercial brand. Either will keep in the fridge for several weeks. Smooth the top of the leftover pesto, then pour a bit of olive oil on to seal for storage.
Grilled Salmon with Pesto Sauce Preparation and cooking time: 20 minutesWe use a bit of salt for flavor then scrape it off before serving. You can use freshly made or purchased Pesto. Salmon should flake easily with fork when done but it should still be a bit pink in the center.
2 salmon fillets, 6oz each (180gr each)
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp fresh dill weed, or 1 tsp dried
1/2 tsp coarse salt
Pesto Sauce
2 tbs pesto
3 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
Sprinkle salmon with dill weed, then salt. Cook on barbecue grill 10 - 14 minutes, without turning, grill cover closed. Time depends on thickness and heat of grill.
OR put on baking sheet and roast in 400 F oven for 15 - 20 minutes, depending on thickness.
Remove and gently scrape most of the salt and dill off the top.
Pesto Sauce: Combine pesto and yogurt.
To serve: Spoon half the Pesto Sauce on top of each piece of salmon and serve.
Pasta with Fresh Pesto Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes
Pasta with pesto is a classic dish from Genoa. If you're lucky enough to have the basil, make it yourself. If not, buy a good commercial brand.
3oz (90gr) linguini, fettuccini or spaghetti
3 tbs pesto
1 tbs good olive oil
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
Combine pesto and oil in the bottom of pasta bowl. Add pasta and toss to coat. Serve.
Pesto Sauce:
2 cups basil, leaves only, lightly packed - meaning somewhere between crushing it into the measuring cup and dropping it in lightly
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, to measure cut in small cubes
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3/4 - 1 cup good olive oil - enough to get the consistency you want for the sauce
2 cloves garlic
Put everything but the oil in a blender. Add 1/2 cup oil and blend. Add more oil as needed. It really depends on how tightly you packed the basil. I used 1 cup of oil.
Green Beans with Bacon and Shallots Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutesUsing bacon and onion or shallots to flavor green beans goes back to my childhood. My mother would 'cook up a mess of beans', with lots of bacon and onion to flavor them, then finish the whole lot off with heavy cream. It was wonderful.... I try for the flavor without quite so much artery clogging fat!
2 strips bacon (2oz, 60gr)
2 medium shallots
6oz (180gr) green beans
Top and tail beans... cut off the ends. Cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths (4cm). Chop shallots. Sauté bacon in a small frying pan. When bacon is crisp remove and crumble. Drain all but 1 tbs fat from pan. Add shallots and sauté until transparent. Add beans, 1/4 cup of water, turn heat to low, cover and simmer until done - about 15 minutes. If beans dry out add a little more water. When done transfer to serving bowl (there should be little or no liquid left - if there is just pour it off). Add crumbled bacon and serve.
Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes |
Sauté shallots |
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