Pesto is a delicious poster child for summer - simple food with great fresh taste. Janene Draper has 10 quick ways to makeover your summer menu with this versatile spread.
Pesto is a fantastic ingredients to have in the fridge, ready on hand to add instant life to many dishes.
And although in the past basil pesto was the only thing you could easily find on store shelves, these days thereis are a whole range of pestos in flavours such as olive, roast capsicum, Asian green, sun-dried tomato and rocket available, thanks to companies such as Essential Cuisine.
So instead of just a smear of basil pesto on crusty bread, extend yourself with some of these tips for using some of the great new flavours:
1. Try stir frying onions in a little olive oil. Add diced chicken and saute for 10 minutes then add your favourite steamed greens. Toss with cooked noodles and 2-3 tablespoons of Asian green pesto.
2. Spread your favourite flavoured pesto over the loin side of a lamb rack and roast in a hot oven until cooked to your liking.
3. Make your own meatballs using 500g freshly minced chicken or pork, cup of fresh breadcrumbs, 2tablespoons roasted pepper pesto or Asian green pesto and an egg. Season with salt and pepper. Roll into balls and gently fry until golden.
4. Saute an onion in a little olive oil before adding sliced pancetta. Toss through hot pasta with 2 tablespoons of sundried tomato pesto or basil pesto. You could also fold the mixture through fresh rocket or spinach. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
5. Make your own crostini by thinly slicing a French stick, then brush the slices with olive oil and a thin spread of olive pesto. Bake at 160C for 15-20 minutes.
6. Mix 2 tablespoons of roasted-pepper pesto with 4 tablespoons of creme fraiche for a dollop on the side of your favourite fish dish.
7. Our family favourite potatoes: peel potatoes and par boil for 5 minutes. Drain the water and add 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil, 2 tablespoons of pesto and 1 tablespoon of flour. Put the lid back on the pot and shake 4-5 times. Transfer potatoes to a hot oven and roast until golden.
8. With new-season potatoes, simply wash and then boil in the skins. When cooked, drain and serve with 2-3 tablespoons of aioli and 2 tablespoons of pesto folded through.
9. Generously marinate chicken thighs in a pesto concoction then slap on the barbecue for a summer meal.
10. Combine pesto with dough to create satisfying pinwheels.
* Janene Draper is owner of Farro Fresh. They have just opened a second Auckland specialty food store in Constellation Drive, on Auckland's North Shore. farrofresh.co.nz
