I have always been a salmon lover, whether it’s lox or sushi rolls— it’s really a fish you can take in any direction in terms of cooking. My grandma Ronnie used to put a coat of mayo on top, sprinkle with paprika and bake it in the oven. Because salmon is a stronger tasting fish, you can rock out a more flavorful sauce or topping without losing the essence of the fish. Inspired by my garden, I pulled a combo of fresh basil and Thai basil (which is a little more “peppery”) and turned it into homemade pesto.
I like my pesto a little bit more garlicky, so I add more than typical recipes call for. Seriously, y’all, I could eat pesto on anything! Fold it into pasta with a little heavy cream for a rich sauce, top it on your eggs, bake it with your chicken— it’s multi-purpose and multi-delicious!
- 2 Salmon Filets
- 2 cups fresh basil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Lay out the salmon filets on a baking pan.
- Put basil, pine nuts, parmesan, and garlic in food processor and pulse until combined. Slowly add olive oil while food processor is on until pesto is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon pesto over salmon filets.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Serve with more pesto on the side.