Pesto!

candlepower_2

Thanks that is a good tip msb5262 -

mine is always getting chucked for that reason,or at least scooping a load out.
I have cooked a simple super dish with salmon fillets smearing with pesto bread crumbs ,lemon zest and parmisan cheese and baking in hot oven simple and tastey.

Wee_Bargain_Hunter

candlepower wrote: »

Thanks that is a good tip msb5262 -

mine is always getting chucked for that reason,or at least scooping a load out.
I have cooked a simple super dish with salmon fillets smearing with pesto bread crumbs ,lemon zest and parmisan cheese and baking in hot oven simple and tastey.

I do something very similar for a quick, easy tea. Frozen salmon fillets topped with some pesto & then sprinkled with ciabatta breadcrumbs (the tub of breadcrumbs are not very os but they last for ages & are so handy). Cook for about 20-30 mins (whatever it says for the salmon plus a little longer. I sometimes put a little white wine in too. Red pesto works too but green is nicer. The lemon & parmesan version sounds lovely - will be trying that soon.

Pesto is lovely with tomato & mayo in sandwiches.

A very easy pasta dish is to cook whatever veg you like (I use leftover chopped onions, peppers, mushrooms that I've chucked in the freezer). You can add some garlic & olives if you want. When pasta & veg are cooked, add a tablespoon of philly cheese per person & a teaspoon of pesto. Stir till melted, mix pasta & veg. Yummy with garlic bread!

Pink.

Hi Femme456,

I love pesto...I've just eaten some sundried tomato pesto on cheese biscuits. :drool:

This earlier thread has some ideas that may help:

Pesto!

I'll add your thread to it later as it helps to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

jinky67

you can add it to potatoes as well

in fact I would add it to just about everything when I have a jar:D

elf06

I love using it under the tom sauce on Pizza!! Just adds a lovely little something to them

sufisu

One of our favourite pesto-inspired meals is Chicken Pesto Pasta. Chicken fillet cut into stir fry size piece, brown in a little oil in the frying pan, add red pesto and a little water, sliced red peppers and mushrooms and simmer until chicken is cooked through. You may need to add a little water to keep things bubbling. Meanwhile boil up some pasta twists, bows or any other shape of pasta you prefer. Then before serving, stir through a goodly spoonful of creme fraiche or Philly or Quark to give the sauce a lovely creaminess. Mix with the cooked pasta and serve. Takes about 20 mins tops. Delicious!

MidLifeCrisis_3

I've just had a bit of a sort out and discovered 2 opened jars of green pesto in the cupboard with just a few spoonfuls gone from each jar. They seem to be ok (ie no mould or anything!), but I haven't used them for months (at least!) so is it likely they'll be safe to use? If so, any recipe suggestions for how I can use the pesto up please?

Thanks :A

MLC

kettlenic

They should be fine - look at the bbc good food site and what you dont use spoon into ice cube trays and freeze for later, you can also do this with Tomato puree

eleanor73

Swirl into tomato soup or mix with chicken mayo and have in a baguette with salad. Obviously there is the pasta option as well.
Or you could buy some puff pastry, mix the pesto with some creme fraiche and spread on the centre and then layer up with tomato and mozzarella.

msb5262

Hi OP,

You are very lucky! Pesto is expensive but delicious and very versatile.

My younger son's favourite meal is pasta with chicken and pesto...
boil pasta until done, drain and return to the saucepan. Now add scraps or strips of cooked chicken, pour on some cream/creme fraiche, a couple of spoonfuls of pesto and grate a little parmesan over. Stir well and serve with salad.

I like green spaghetti (cooked pasta with pesto stirred through and a little grated cheese), also pasta with bacon and pesto which is basically the same as the chicken recipe but with cooked bacon instead of chicken!

Pesto is also great to add to pasta sauce as a quick way of giving a flavour boost. My dad puts a teaspoonful in his home made salad dressing - it's great, and some people make mashed potato with pesto though that might be an acquired taste...

I would freeze it too, though I'd probably just freeze the jars and use a sharp knife to take out what I need. Being very oily, it doesn't go properly hard when frozen, and I can think of plenty of times when an ice cube of frozen pesto would be way too much of a good thing.

HTH

MsB