Salmon Pesto Pasta

I have recently discovered another blog that I absolutely love. Bridget of The Way the Cookie Crumbles not only shares my love of Cook's Illustrated, but she is a science nerd as well! Plus, she takes beautiful photographs and bakes up some of the prettiest desserts ever.

So I was perusing her blog and came across this recipe. It has some of my favorite ingredients in it: pesto, pasta, and salmon. My basil plant has been overflowing, so I knew I needed to make some pesto soon; plus we love salmon in our house. She introduced me to a new way to make pesto: toast the garlic first. It really does take away the sharp bite of raw garlic, and leaves the pesto tasting.... more pesto-y.

I stayed true to her recipe; I just threw some baby heirloom tomatoess on top because I pretty much add tomatoes to everything in the summer.

Salmon Pesto Pasta
from The Way the Cookie Crumbles

• 8 oz pasta
• 12 oz salmon
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 5 oz evaportaed milk
• 1/2 cup pesto (recipe follows)
• grated Parmesan, for serving

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once water is boiling, add 1 Tablespoon of kosher salt, and stir to dissolve. Add pasta and stir. Allow to cook to al dente, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to the upper-middle position. Heat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil, and place salmon on the foil. Season with salt and pepper, and rub with lemon zest and olive oil. Broil until flesh is firm and salmon is no longer translucent, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with lemon juice. Flake fish into bite size pieces with a fork. Set aside.

When pasta is cooked, drain and discard water. Add the evaporated milk to the empty saucepan and cook until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Return pasta to the pan and stir to combine.

Remove the pot from heat, and add the salmon and pesto. Stir to combine. Serve with additional lemon wedges and Parmesan cheese. Top with tomatoes if desired.

Pesto

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 5 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 Tablespoons Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• 1/4 cup grated Pamesan cheese

"Bruise" the basil leaves in a food processor fitted with the dough blade (the one that's not as sharp) for a few pulses. Replace with the steel (sharp) blade.

Toast nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Add to teh food processor. Add the garlic cloves to the skillet and toast, tossing frequently, until the skins are toasted and garlic is fragrant. Peel and add to food processor as well.

Process until finely chopped, and add remaining ingredients except cheese. Transfer to a small bowl, add the cheese, and adjust seasonings if necessary.