Prep Ahead Pesto

People always ask me for weeknight meal ideas. Unfortunately, I have never been organized enough to have meals set up for the family ahead of time. Granted the family works in the restaurant with me most late afternoons and weeknights, but you’d be surprised to know we still eat at home; even with an Old Country Buffet at our fingertips. Instead, I always use my early week downtime to make a few sauces that can be peppered into dishes throughout the week. You’d be surprised how far a quart of roasted pepper sauce or cilantro lime marinade can go. Once you have the foundation down (and we all know Sauce is Boss) - the rest is just about scavenging the discount section of the grocery store or wiping out your vegetable drawer.

Enter Fresh Herb “Pesto”. We grow a ton of fresh herbs, both at home and in the restaurant. The great thing about fresh herbs, besides the nutrition they pack, a little bit goes a long way in terms of flavor. Just ask someone who despises cilantro - one leaf in a gallon of salsa and it’s all over.

Pesto is essentially a puree of fresh herbs (traditionally basil), garlic, parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil. Simple enough right? Well this foundation is nothing more than a suggestion upon which you can build your own favorite pesto. Have fun with this one, play with the ingredients you add to the pesto. This is cooking - improvising over basic jazz standards.

Below are some ideas and combinations, but feel free to make your own.

Basic Pesto Ratio

6 parts herbs (for example 6 tablespoons freshly chopped herbs then base the ratio against this starting point)

1 part garlic

2 parts extra virgin olive oil

1 part nuts - pine nuts are traditional, however, you can use any nut

2 parts cheese - parmesan traditional

1/2 part acid (lemon juice, vinegar)

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and puree. Use this to toss into or over dishes (ideas below)

Variations:

Parsley Pistachio Pesto

Red Pepper and Almond pesto (red pepper in place of herbs)

Lemon Basil Pesto (triple the lemon ratio and add zest)

Mustard Tarragon Pesto (add mustard as an add-on - great on chicken)

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

Black Olive Pesto

Chili and Walnut Pesto

Orange Kale Pesto

Basil and Fennel Pesto

Caramelized Onion Pesto

Dishes - add any of the above ideas to the following:

Bowtie pasta with chicken

Steak Salad

Chicken Salad

Grilled Pizza

Slow Roasted Fish Filet

Roasted Vegetables

Roasted potatoes and shrimp (this is one of my favorites)

Smoked Salmon and Cous Cous

Message me your favorite ideas and I will feature them!