Pistachio-Basil Pesto

Ingredients

4 cups washed basil leaves
½ cup shelled pistachio nuts
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Place the pistachios, garlic, salt, and pepper in a processor bowl. Process until the nuts and garlic are chopped.

Add the basil leaves and process for a minute or two. In the opening spout at the top, pour the olive oil as you process.

Keep processing until the mixture is smooth.

Fresh Tomato Pesto Tart

Press in the Pan Pastry Dough
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups All-purpose, Low-Carb or Gluten-free flour
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour the flour, cheddar cheese, and salt into a 9-inch pie pan. Stir with a fork to mix the ingredients together. Pour in the melted butter and mix with the fork until the dry ingredients are completely moistened. Press the dough, using the fork, across the bottom of the pan and up the sides.

Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until lightly brown.
Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

Filling
1 cup coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
6 plum tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
¼ cup pistachio basil pesto, recipe above

Directions

Spread the bottom of the baked crust with the pesto. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Arrange the tomatoes in an overlapping single layer over the crust and sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top.

Bake until the tart is deep golden brown and crispy, about 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before cutting.

Bell Peppers Stuffed With Shrimp Salad

When using shrimp for salads, I prefer to grill or oven roast them. Boiling tends to make them soft and they do not stand up to the dressing.

Ingredients

Shrimp
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoons seafood seasoning
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 chopped green onions
1 stalk celery, chopped
Zest and juice of half an orange
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
4 green bell peppers, halved and seeded

Directions

Heat a grill pan over medium-high.
Place the peeled and deveined the shrimp in a ziplock plastic bag with 1 tablespoon olive oil, seafood seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and shake the bag. Spread the shrimp in one layer on the heated grill pan. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, just until pink, firm and cooked through. Let cool for 25 minutes.

To make the dressing. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, orange zest, orange juice, dill, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

When the shrimp are cool, cut them into ½ inch dice and add them to the dressing and toss. Chill in the refrigerator until serving time. Fill bell pepper halves with shrimp salad and serve.

Summer Green Bean Salad

Ingredients

1 pound green beans trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 finely chopped shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Coarsely chopped basil for garnish

Directions

Several hours before serving:
Place green beans in a pan of salted boiling water to cover. Cook until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes according to the size of the beans. Do not overcook. Drain.
In a salad bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, shallots, garlic, oil, chopped tomato, salt, and pepper. Add hot, drained green beans and toss well. Sprinkle with basil. Let the dish sit at room temperature for several hours before serving. Toss a few times during the marinating time.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in Basil pesto, Cheese, Fish, green beans, Healthy Italian Cooking, peppers, Pistachio, Salad, shrimp, tomatoes, Vegetables Tags: What to cook in June.