Hey pesto!
Make one or two of these tasty spreads to have in your fridge – they can take a meal from dull to darn good in moments, says NZ House & Garden food editor Sally Butters.
Crispy-skinned salmon with pea pesto
Peas take on basil’s traditional role in this chunky pesto. Here it is served under salmon but by no means is that all it can be used for – it could be a fab addition to a salad sandwich, buddha bowl or even a roast dinner.
cup pine nuts
2 cups frozen baby peas Large handful of grated parmesan 1 clove garlic, crushed cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing salmon lemon, juiced
4 squares of salmon fillet, skin on
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over moderate heat. Shake the pan every few seconds to prevent the nuts from over-colouring and burning. As soon as they are fragrant and slightly browned, take off the heat and transfer to a plate to cool.
Thaw peas then pat dry. Place pine nuts and peas in a food processor with the parmesan, garlic, cup olive oil and lemon juice. Pulse to a thick, chunky mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Brush salmon on both sides with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Fry in a nonstick pan over high heat, skin side first, for 3 minutes. Turn and cook for another couple of minutes until cooked to your liking.
Serve immediately on a mound of pesto. Squeeze a little lemon juice over and add a side of homemade potato chips if desired. Serves 4
White bean spread
Use this simple, tasty mixture in pita pockets and wraps, on sandwiches, or as a dip with sliced fresh vegetables.
2 x 400g cans cannellini beans,
drained
1 lemon, juice and finely grated zest 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed Handful of mint and parsley leaves,
chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
Place all the ingredients in a food processor. Season well with salt and pepper and pulse to form a slightly chunky mixture.
This spread will keep covered in the fridge for up to a week.
Makes about 2 cups
Watercress & pine nut pesto
Watercress makes a marvellously bright green, slightly peppery pesto. Terrifically versatile, it’s great as a spread, dip or mixed into pasta.
cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled, finely sliced 70g pine nuts
1 tsp flaky sea salt
50g trimmed fresh watercress 50g baby spinach
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 50g freshly grated parmesan
Heat oil in a medium saucepan and add garlic, pine nuts and salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes until toasted and fragrant then remove from pan and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Place watercress and spinach in a food processor and pulse to break down. Add warm oil and nuts along with lemon zest and parmesan and blend to a smooth paste. Add a little extra olive oil if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Makes about 1 cup