Tomato and Olive Salad with Ricotta and Pesto in Roasted Red Peppers

Again for summer eating outdoors season comes this recipe from Food and Wine magazine. Now I am not one to normally post recipes out of cooking magazines but I saw these in an article and thought that for a no carb and gluten free recipe it sounded really very tasty.

So I made it and it was good. However, I found the peppers on their own a little under dressed and underwhelming. So the second time I made these I dressed the peppers, tomatoes and olives with a basil based vinaigrette first and that helped to perk them up and amp up the luxe taste of this dish. We learned all about how a dressing can make everything better with the "Crack Dressing recipe"http://cookforrestcook.blogspot.com/2016/07/crack-salad-recipe-or-famous-greek.html

They could not be simpler to make. You roast red pepper halves till softish. Then make a tomato and olive salad that you dress heavily with a simple oil and vinaigrette made from olive oil, dried basil, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper. This you spoon into cooled red peppers and top with fresh ricotta cheese and pesto that I actually purchased in the pasta case of my store cause it was easier than buying everything to make pesto. Well and I was in a hurry. Just like a lot of you guys out there.

So here's what you need to make these:

3 good sized red peppers rubbed with a little olive oil and placed in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until roasted and soft but not overdone. You need the peppers to still hold their shape.
16-18 cherry tomatoes sliced in half
10-12 Kalamata olives sliced in half
1/2 tsp dried basil mixed with about 4 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard and some salt and pepper to taste. Then dress the tomatoes and olives with this.
Then once peppers come out of the oven and cool, divide the salad amongst the peppers
Spoon and big dollop of the ricotta cheese on and dress with pesto to taste.

That's it. So easy and it's very impressive. You'll seem very fancy if you serve these which is why I did it. Cause who wants a plain Jane dinner right.

Enjoy making these for your family and friends and enjoy a little vegetable magic with your summer.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Squash Relish and Walnut Tomato Pesto Sauce

OK it's Summer Grilling and chilling time. I have a recipe for you that will make you very fancy the next time you entertain or just want to get dinner onto the table for your family.

Summer time is a time for grilling and relaxing and using the vegetables that are around. Yellow squash is one of my favorites and it can really add color and flavor.

The nice thing about this meal is it can be served room temperature as well as warm. You also have the choice of roasting the chicken in the oven if you don't want to make it on the grill so it's a dish that could be changed up with various seasonal ingredients and customized all year long.

Here we go. Chicken thighs, yes thighs, better taste and so much more forgiving than their white meat counterparts. And they still are cheaper.

Next vegetables are on the order. Here we are using frozen artichoke hearts and fresh yellow squash cut up into triangles. These were roasted and then used to top the dish. During the year you could use any vegetables mushrooms, brussel spouts or pearl onions and peas. Vary it up.

Then there's the base. Roasted Tomato Walnut pesto sauce. This is the stuff. Walnuts, basil, cheese, tomatoes garlic, and olive oil. Whipped into a fantastic pesto it really makes the flavor of this dish over the top.

Tomato and Walnut Pesto

1 1/2 pint summer fresh grape tomatoes
1 cup bunch of fresh basil
1 cup of oven roasted walnuts
3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves minced garlic
Italian Herb salt
Good quality Olive Oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice



Place tomatoes on a baking tray toss with olive oil and Italian herb salt and roast for 30 mins in a 350 degree oven,
Place cheese, the tomatoes, walnuts,  basil leaves, two big shakes of worcestershire, garlic, and lemon juice in a small food processor and process adding oil slowly about 1/2 cup till a thick paste forms, add water a bit at a time till the sauce is loose and spoonable.  Taste and add salt till it's nicely salted.

Chicken

12 Chicken thighs

Place chicken in a zip lock bag and add olive oil Italian herbs salt and lemon pepper. Allow to marinate about 3 to 4 hours.

Place on a baking sheet and roast in a 350 degree oven for about 45 mins or grill till done,

Vegetables:

Take vegetables of your choice. Here I used 1 bag of frozen artichokes and 2 small yellow squash chopped into wedges. one small red onion chopped into wedges. Toss with olive oil and
Italian season salt and roast for 350 till soft and caramelized. Remove from oven toss with chives

Assembly:

Spoon the pesto onto the bottom of a large serving platter. Shingle chicken onto the platter on top of the sauce. Mound vegetables over the chicken and dress with the parsley.

Buccatini With Walnut Tomato Pesto, Blistered Tomatoes and Fresh Basil

Summer Pastas are a really joy to eat. They are lighter than their Winter counterparts and given the gorgeous produce available at this time of year any number of ingredients can be pulled into the mix.

This dish is a riff on a pasta dish which is well known in Italy.  It relies on very traditional flavors mixed in with the richness of nuts, cheese and oil. Walnut pesto is a rich different sauce compared to regular pesto which is made with pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic and olive oil.

My walnut pesto includes California black walnuts instead of pine nuts and oven roasted grape tomatoes in addition to a smaller amount of basil, Parmesan and olive oil.

The pasta is tossed right into the sauce along with oven roasted grape tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. and served up hot and fresh. It's actually kind of a decadent taste treat with a creamy depth of flavor yet including no dairy at all. I crave this pasta now that I've made it. It's that good.

So if you like pesto and walnuts give this a try. You won't be sorry.

Buccatini With Walnut Tomato Pesto, Blistered Tomatoes and Fresh Basil
Serves 6  

1 package Buccatini pasta
2 pints summer fresh grape tomatoes
1 large bunch of fresh basil
1 cup of oven roasted walnuts
3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
20 picked basil leaves
Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves minced garlic
Italian Herb salt
Good quality Olive Oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
More basil leaves picked for the dish
cold water
Parmesan for garnish

Place tomatoes on a baking tray toss with olive oil and Italian herb salt and roast for 30 mins in a 350 degree oven,
Place cheese, 1/2 of the tomatoes, walnuts, 20 basil leaves, two big shakes of worcestershire, garlic, and lemon juice in a small food processor and process adding oil slowly about 1/2 cup till a thick paste forms, add water a bit at a time till the sauce is loose and spoonable.  Taste and add salt till it's almost too salted. On the pasta it won't taste so salty.
Cook pasta 7 mins till just al dente reserve a cup of pasta water
Toss with the sauce in a large bowl adding enough pasta water to make sure the sauce coats the pasta and is creamy.
Divide between 6 bowls and top with the remaining tomatoes and some basil leaves
Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately