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Basil Pesto

Posted in Condiments, Italien, Sauce, tagged , , , on August 1, 2016| 5 Comments »

Basil Pesto

Basil Pesto

These days I have an abundance of fresh basil leaves. I don’t have much of a green thumb but basil plants and I somehow get along really well. And so I am trying not to let this wonderful aromatic herb go to waste by making some basil pesto. It is quick and easy to make and, although I have not tried it myself, I have read that pesto also can be made using walnuts, unsalted cashews, almonds, pistachios and even  sunflower seeds. Besides using pesto on your pasta, it can also be used as a sandwich spread, baked into bread, add a little to your soup or marinara sauce for extra flavor. Today I am freezing mine by dropping spoonfuls into an ice cube tray. Once frozen, I pop them out of the tray and into a freezer bag for later use. Enjoy!

Basil Pesto (makes approx 1 cup)

Ingredients:

2 cups packed basil leaves

1-2 large garlic cloves

60 grams pine nuts

1/2 cup reggiano parmesan cheese, shredded and loosely packed

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

lemon juice, a big squeeze

salt to taste, a pinch

Directions:

Place basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts and cheese into a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. While the food processor is running, add olive oil and lemon juice. Scraping down sides, process until desired consistency. Add salt to taste.

Source: My Danish Kitchen

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Penne Pasta with Shrimp

Posted in Italien, Main course, pasta, Seafood, tagged , , , , , on January 23, 2012| 8 Comments »

Penne Pasta with Shrimp

I had a craving for pasta and shrimp but didn’t want Shrimp Scampi since we had that not too long ago. Then i remembered this pasta dish which I have been meaning to try out. I made some adjustment to fit my likings and it turned out really good. The flavors are mild, a little sweet and creamy. I think I might add a little red pepper flakes next time I make this just to give it a kick.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound penne pasta

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup white wine

2 tbsp tomato paste

14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes

1/4 cup half and half

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

8-10 basil leaves, chiffonade

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring salted pasta water to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente.

Peel and devein shrimp, season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a large pan, melt 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add shrimp and cook for two minutes, turning shrimp over half-way through cooking time. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.

Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil to pan and lower heat to medium. Cook diced onions until tender and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook one minute longer, add wine and reduce for 2-3 minutes.  Add tomato paste and stir to blend. Add canned tomatoes and continue to simmer covered until pasta is ready.

Add pasta, parsley, basil and half/half. Bring to a simmer and turn off heat. Add shrimp back into pasta dish and arrange on serving dish. Top with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Enjoy!

Source: adapted from Pioneer Woman Cooks Book

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Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Posted in Appetizers, Comfort food, Lunch, Main course, Soup, tagged , , , , , on September 13, 2010| 17 Comments »

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

If you read my blog on a regular basis you’ll know that I am a bit of a tomato freak. So it makes sense that tomato soup is one of my favorite types of soup. In my humble opinion, there is nothing more soothing than a bowl of warm and slightly peppery tomato soup served with a slice of fresh bread. Yum!

This time I chose to make it a smooth textured soup but if you would like it a little more coarse, use canned diced tomatoes instead of whole canned tomatoes. And only blend the roasted tomato chunks and then pass them through a sieve. This will give you more chunks but without skin and seeds from the roasted tomatoes.

Also I should mention, that this recipe makes quite a few portions and if your family or friends are not too keen on tomato soup, no worry, because this soup freezes really well. I like to divide it into smaller serving sizes, freeze and defrost as needed for a quick-lunch. I hope you enjoy this wonderful Roasted Tomato Basil Soup.

Delicious roasted tomatoes

 Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)

5 garlic cloves, minced

a pinch red pepper flakes

1 (28 ounce) canned whole San Marzano tomatoes

4 cups fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 quart chicken stock

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut tomatoes into halves. Toss together tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread tomatoes out onto a foil covered baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, saute onions, garlic and red pepper flakes with 2 tablespoon olive oil until onions start to brown. Place the roasted tomatoes and canned tomatoes in a blender, food mill or a food processor and blend until smooth. Press tomatoes through a sieve to remove skin and seeds, make sure to scrape all the thick good stuff off the bottom of the sieve.  Add the tomatoes, basil, thyme, chicken stock and juices from baking sheet to the skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Taste to see if more salt or pepper is needed. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Tomato and Basil, a match made in heaven

Source: adapted from Barefoot Contessa

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