Fettuccini with Corn Pesto - Blue Monday

If you're feeling harried and your Christmas spirit is flagging, this seemingly unplanned event, actually a flash mob performance orchestrated by Canadian music students, will refresh and uplift you. It truly is ambrosia for world-weary souls.






From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I first made this dish in August when sweet corn was plentiful. I found the recipe in Bon Appetit magazine and the pesto was unusual enough to intrigue me. At that time, I made the dish with fresh corn and Bob and I really liked the distinctive and sweet flavor it gave to the pesto. The finished sauce is similar to a carbonara and almost as easy to make. I wanted to make something light for last night's supper and Bob suggested this. With no fresh corn on hand, I decided to make the pesto using frozen shoepeg corn. I've had great luck using shoepeg as a replacement for fresh corn. It is lighter in color and more tender that other types of frozen corn and it's as close to the fresh product as you can get in December. I can happily report it worked well in this recipe. While I used fresh fettuccini to make the dish, a top quality brand of dried pasta would also work well. I do hope you'll try this. I know it sounds a bit strange, but it really is lovely. Here's the recipe.

Fettuccini with Corn Pesto...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
4 bacon slices
1 (16-oz.) bag frozen shoepeg corn, thawed
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 -1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 ounces fresh pasta (tagliatelle or fettuccine)
3/4 cup coarsely torn fresh basil, divided use

Directions:
1) Cut each bacon slice in half length-wise, then crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Cook in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
2) Add corn, garlic, salt and pepper to skillet, and saute until the corn is just tender, but not brown, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the corn to a small bowl and reserve. Transfer remainder to bowl of a food processor. Add walnuts and Parmesan. With machine running, slowly add oil through the feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth. Set aside.
3) Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just tender, but still firm and not quite as done as you would want it. Drain pasta, reserving 1-1/2 cups pasta water. Return pasta to pot and add corn pesto, reserved corn kernels, and 1/2 cup basil leaves. Toss well and add pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until pasta is cooked through. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
4) Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with additional herbs, cheese, and reserved bacon.
Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy the recipes for these unusual pestos:
Caper Pesto - Foodalogue
Cilantro-Parsley Pesto - Blue Kitchen
Pesto alla Trapanese - Sugar Pies
Walnut Pesto - Smitten Kitchen
Arugula Pesto - Simply Recipes
Charred Tomato Pesto - Stephen Cooks

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Broccoli Pesto and Pasta with Pesto and Peas

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...A three pound bag of broccoli and a request for pasta salad figured, in equal measure, into the selection of recipes I'm featuring today. The broccoli, which seemed like a great idea a week ago, had become an irritation, a reminder of poor planning on my part, and it was demanding to be used or tossed. I'm really bad with the whole tossing thing, so, I decided to use at least some of it in a pasta salad that I had promised for a potluck supper. I had just seen a recipe on Serious Eats that used broccoli to make pesto and thought I might be able to use it in my potluck offering. Years ago, Ina Garten published a recipe for Pasta, Pesto and Peas. I had saved the recipe, but never made the dish and thought the potluck was a perfect opportunity to give it, and the broccoli pesto, a try. The pesto, developed by Carolyn Cope, is wonderful. It lacks the eyeopening brightness of its basil cousin but it is delicious in its own right. The pasta salad is a mixed bag. While it's delicious, it lacks visual appeal. Its drab muddy color is unfortunate and may be off-putting to some. Both recipes are easy to do and inexpensive to prepare. Both are also delicious. Here's how they're made.

Broccoli Pesto...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Carolyn Cope

Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli florets (about 1 quart)
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Directions:
1) Bring large pot of well-salted water to boil over high heat. Add broccoli florets and cook for two minutes. Drain broccoli well and set aside.
2) In food processor, combine broccoli, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Pulse until broccoli and nuts are finely chopped. Then, with motor running, pour in olive oil in slow stream. Mix in grated cheese.
3) Toss with pasta, spread onto toasted baguette slices, or as sauce for chicken or fish. Pesto will keep in sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

Pasta with Pesto and Peas ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients:
3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1-1/2 cups pesto
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1-1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Cook fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
2) In bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add mayonnaise and puree. Add pesto mixture to cooled pasta and then add he Parmesan, peas, pignoli, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature. Yield: 12 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Coriander Chutney (Cilantro Pesto) - My Favorite Recipes Collection
Wholewheat Penne with Arugula Pesto - Angie's Recipes
Genoa Basil Pesto - Foodie Journey
Walnut Cheddar Pesto - Baking Bites
Mexican Pumpkin Seed Pesto - My Man's Belly
Asparagus Pesto with Lemon and Mint - Family Spice
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto - Closet Cooking

Grilled Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love to serve this "salad" when we barbecue. It is, of course a play on the well-known Insalata Caprese and, as such, must be said to be a dish that is assembled rather than made. Taste buds as old as mine are always looking for new ways to do old things and this sport does just that, creating a warm salad with a creamy texture that plays well against the flavor of blood ripe tomatoes and pesto. The dish consists of thick sliced tomatoes that are grilled prior to topping with fresh mozzarella cheese. They are then broiled until the cheese becomes soft and starts to run. The tomato stacks are topped with pesto and served while still warm. I cook mine in a grill pan because I feel more in control of the process, but they can, of course, be done on a gas or charcoal grill. I usually make my own pesto, my favorite being a combination of arugula and cilantro, but any well flavored pesto, including a commercial variety, can be used. I draw the line with the cheese, however. This dish is not worth the effort if you don't use fresh, best quality mozzarella. It's also important to keep your tomato slices about an inch thick. Slices thinner than that will turn to mush before the cheese topping has the opportunity to soften and lightly brown. I have one last observation to share with you. Serve the stacks as soon as you possibly can. The cheese tends to lose its milky color and yellow if it sits too long. Here's how we assemble and cook this warm Insalata Caprese.

Grilled Tomato and Mozzarella Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Jon Bonnell

Ingredients:
4 1-inch slices of ripe tomato
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided use
4 1/2-inch slices of fresh mozzarella
1 teaspoon sherry wine vinegar
4 teaspoons pesto
Sea salt

Directions:
1) Preheat oven broiler. Season tomato slices with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large grill pan until oil is wavy. Add tomatoes and cook over high heat until grill marks form, about 2 minutes per side. Do not overcook. Remove pan from heat.
2) Top each tomato with a slice of mozzarella and broil about 3-inches from heat, until cheese just starts to run. Transfer to serving plates. Top each stack with a teaspoon of pesto and drizzle with vinegar and reserved 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Serve immediately. Yield 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Warm Wild Mushroom Salad - Planet Green
Warm Salad of Frisee and Baby Spinach - Big Oven
Mom's Warm Potato Salad - Simply Recipes

Pasta with Pungent Parsley Pesto

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Forgive the alliteration. I know it's bad, but my children named this dish years ago while making merry at the dinner table. It was a working mother's secret weapon and I made it a lot when I needed something fast and easy to pair with broiled steak, chicken or, in a pinch, even poached eggs. The making merry part was usually at my expense and the alliteration was the result too many good teachers and overactive, albeit creative, imaginations. This was back in the day when we didn't grill, we broiled and at that time pesto, the basil and pine nut variety, was sweeping the country. My children didn't care for the standard version, so I had to search for and experiment with other types. The one I found for our use is based on a recipe developed Patricia Wells and it is much easier to make than its more familiar cousin. The pungent portion of the alliteration comes from a few anchovies that are added to parsley as it's processed. Unless you let it sit too long you won't know they're in the sauce, though I must admit their flavor can become harsh if it sits for too long before being served. This is one of those rare sauces that I like to make just before I add it to the pasta. Freshly made, it is delicious and the anchovies are barely discernible. This is very easy to make if you have a food processor. There are folks who insist it is more flavorful if made in a mortar and pestle. I leave the method up to you. Here's the recipe.

Pasta with Pungent Parsley Pesto...from the kitchen of One Perfect bite, inspired by Patricia Wells

Ingredients:
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and minced
3 cups loosely packed Italian parsley
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound capellini
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1) Combine garlic, salt, anchovies and parsley in bowl of a food processor. Pulse 2 or 3 times, or until the sauce is well-mixed. Scrape down sides of bowl. While machine is running, add lemon juice and olive oil in a slow stream. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2) Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of salt and return to a boil. Add capellini and cook according to package instructions. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of water, and transfer to a very large bowl. Add 3/4 of pesto to pasta and toss to coat strands evenly. Add water by tablespoons if it seems to dry. Cover bowl for 1 minute. Toss again and add oil to moisten pasta. Transfer pasta to serving bowls, adding a spoonful of reserved pesto to each bowl. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipe:
Pasta Puttanesca - One Perfect Bite
Capellini Capricciosi - One Perfect Bite
Fusilli with Fennel, Sausage and Wine - One Perfect Bite

Red Pesto Sauce + Home-Style Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Red Pesto Sauce



Home-Style Sun-Dried Tomatoes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Red Pesto Sauce is a multi-purpose condiment that I try to keep in the refrigerator at all times. I use it for bruschetta, pasta and rice. It is a pungent sauce bursting with the flavors of sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, fragrant oil and wonderful salt-cured olives. Its robust flavor is unmistakably Italian and its complex simplicity is a delight to the palate. This sauce is an attention getter and not for the faint of heart. While I make this with a home-style version of sun-dried tomatoes, commercial versions can be used with only a slight loss of flavor. The technique for sun drying tomatoes was developed in Italy as a means of storing tomatoes for the winter. Fresh tomatoes were placed on tile roofs and dried by the blazing sun. I'm including the oven drying technique I use to make the sun-dried tomatoes for those who are curious or are as crazy as me. The pesto will keep for up to a month if refrigerated and filmed with a layer of olive oil. Here are the recipes for Red Pesto Sauce and Home-Style Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

Red Pesto Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Patricia Wells

Ingredients:
1 packed cup fresh sun-dried tomatoes or 1 (3.5-oz.) package sun-dried tomato halves
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup salt cured black olives
1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh minced rosemary leaves

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in bowl of a food processor. Process until just emulsified, but still coarse and slightly chunky. Store, filmed with olive oil, in refrigerator for up to 1 month. Yield: 1 cup.

Home-Style Oven-Dried Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:
5 pounds Roma tomatoes
Kosher salt

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
2) Trim and discard stem ends of tomatoes. Halve each tomato lengthwise. Arrange tomatoes, cut side up, side by side and crosswise on cake racks set on oven racks. Tomatoes should not touch each other. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
3) Bake until tomatoes are shriveled and feel dry, anywhere from 6 to 12 hours. The tomatoes should remain remain flexible and not be brittle. When dried, remove cake racks from oven and allow tomatoes to cool thoroughly. Store in zip-lock bags. Yield: 2 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Thai Cucumber Relish - One Perfect Bite
Watermelon and Black Bean Salsa - One Perfect Bite
Blueberry Salsa - One Perfect Bite