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Fresh Kale Pesto

February 22, 2015 · by Carrie Trax ·

2015.02.14@16.27.33._K5I8216

This week Fresh From Oregon… Kale!  Kale comes in many varieties and the best one to make this pesto is the green curly-leaved kale.  It only takes a few minutes to blanch the kale and create this creamy pesto to toss with pasta, brush on some toasted french bread or use as a great condiment for seafood and chicken.

Fresh Kale Pesto
1 big bunch of kale, rinsed, ribs removed and torn into small pieces2015.02.14@17.01.07._K5I8247
3/4 cup olive oil, less 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons Spice Traders Mercantile Meyer lemon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
2 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved
Salt and pepper to taste

Blanch the kale in boiling salted water for about 3 minutes and chill down in a cold water bath, drain and squeeze excess water. 2015.02.14@17.17.00._K5I82782015.02.14@17.15.52._K5I82752015.02.14@17.06.43._K5I8261Place into small work bowl of food processor or Ninja food processor bowl and pulse to start breaking up the kale, add rough chopped garlic, process, add pine nuts, pulse several times. Slowly add the olive oil, Myers lemon olive oil and lemon juice, process until everything is broken down. It will never be real smooth. Finally add the cheese and pulse a few times. Season with salt and pepper. If serving with pasta grate a little extra cheese over and add extra virgin olive oil to the hot pasta, toss with pesto, serve with additional grated cheese.  To store, place in a glass jar or container and add about 1 tablespoon olive oil on top to keep pesto fresh.  The olive oil will create a small seal to keep pesto from getting dry.

2015.02.14@17.24.08._K5I8284

Recipe adapted from ~ Food 52

 

Filed Under: appetizer, chicken, Fresh From Oregon, pasta, seafood, side dish, vegetables · Tagged: cheese, garlic, green, kale, pesto, pine nuts

Tomato Bruschetta Three Ways

September 24, 2012 · by Carrie Trax ·

What’s fresh this week.  If you visit your local farmers market you will see a rainbow of different colors of tomatoes.  There are cherry tomatoes in all shapes and colors, heirloom green stripes, Italian plums and the good old red tomato.  I filled my bag with an assortment of tomatoes and bought some great bread, I’m ready to make some bruschetta.  Since I have so many types of tomatoes I am going to share 3 different ways to make tomato bruschetta.  The first tomato is the heirloom green stripe which has a mild flavor so I want to make sure I use an olive oil with some great flavor.  The second tomatoes are a box of rainbow cherry tomatoes, so many colors and shapes so I am going to keep this one simple.  The last tomato will be with red tomatoes and the traditional bruschetta is the best way to enjoy them.

Heirloom Bruschetta
3 small heirloom green stripe tomatoes, sliced
12 slices fresh mozzarella
3 cloves garlic, minced
Balsamic vinegar (Get a really good aged one)
Garlic olive oil
12 pieces any rustic bread, sliced
Salt & pepper
fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush the bread on both sides with the garlic olive oil and bake in the oven until golden brown on both sides.  This should take about 2-3 minutes of each side, remove from oven.  Lay two slices of tomatoes and one slice of mozzarella cheese on each slice of bread.  Sprinkle with the minced garlic and drizzle some of the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the tomatoes.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh basil.

Rainbow Bruschetta
1 pint rainbow cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 basil leaves, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons basil flavored olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 loaf bread with kalamata olives, sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush the olive bread on both sides with the olive oil and bake in the oven until golden brown on both sides.  This should take about 2-3 minutes on each side, remove from oven.  In medium bowl combine the cherry tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste.  Spoon tomato mixture over toasted bread and enjoy.

Traditional Bruschetta
2 large red tomatoes, diced
1 cup mozzarella cheese, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 basil leaves, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 loaf french baguette, sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush the french baguette on both sides with the olive oil and bake in the oven until golden brown on both sides.  This should take about 2-3 minutes on each side, remove from oven.  In medium bowl combine tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, basil, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place tomato mixture in a bowl on a large plate and place toasted bread around the bowl or scoop tomato mixture on each piece of bread and place on a large serving platter.

Filed Under: bread, farmers market, tomatoes · Tagged: basil, bruschetta, garlic, mozzarella cheese, olive oil, tomatoes

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