L-A At Home

One sunny Sunday afternoon, I was hanging out with a good friend, and we got really into chatting about our go-to quick meals. She just started a new job at a downtown firm a few months ago, so her commute has definitely become a lot longer. To make things easier during the week, she spends her weekends meal prepping and is always on the hunt for fun new recipes that still bring a little excitement to her cooking!

This reminded me of my sun-dried tomato pesto – it’s like a culinary gem I can’t go without! I always have a jar stashed in my fridge, just waiting to amp up the flavor of so many meals. I had a feeling she’d love it just as much as I do! It’s super tasty, super easy to make, and goes great with more than just pasta.

I love using this pesto as an appetizer using burrata cheese. Here’s how I do it: Warm the pesto in a pan, cut open the burrata cheese, and put it on a serving plate. Then, drizzle that warm sun-dried tomato pesto on top of the cheese and serve it up with some toasted crostini slices. It’s always a hit!

You can totally use this to whip up a quick pasta dinner! Here’s the deal: Start by putting 1/4 cup of pesto in a big serving bowl. Cook your favorite pasta according to the package instructions, and throw in a splash of pasta water to loosen up the pesto. Once your pasta’s ready, drain it and toss it in the bowl with the pesto. If you want, sprinkle some fresh basil and grated Parmesan on top, and you’re good to go – As Ina Garten would say “How easy is that?”

My girlfriend’s not really into carbs like bread, rice, and pasta, and if you’re in the same boat, you’ll probably like my third version. I love placing some sun-dried tomato pesto on breaded chicken or veal, and it’s even better with an arugula salad on the side or right on top of the pesto! This version made my girlfriend’s eyes light up so I thought I would make it.

Here is what you will need for the pesto:
• 1 jar (8.5oz) of sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• Handful of fresh basil
• 1 cup of parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, walnuts or pine nuts (whatever you have on hand) I like almonds
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp of pepper
• 1 tsp red chilli pepper flakes (optional)
• Olive oil as needed to moisten the pesto

Here is how to make the sun-dried tomato pesto:
• Place the jar of sun-dried tomatoes including the oil in a food processor
• Add the garlic, basil, parmesan, almonds, salt, pepper and chilli peppers if using and blend on high speed
• With the processor running add the olive oil to moisten the pesto
• Store pesto in an airtight jar with lid and keep in the refrigerator
• Add olive oil as needed to loosen and moisten the pesto

How to make the breaded chicken and sun-dried tomato pesto dinner:
• Prepare the breaded chicken how you would normally prepare it and set aside
• In a small bowl add approximately 3-4 tbsp of a good quality white wine vinegar, 3 tbsp of olive oil, a drizzle of honey and 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste (you can adjust the ingredients to your taste) and set aside
• In a medium bowl add arugula, sliced purple onion, cucumber and drizzle the vinaigrette on top just enough to just coat the salad
• Using a vegetable peeler add saved parmigiana on top of the salad and set aside
• Cook the breaded chicken until lightly golden brown
• To plate, place a piece of breaded chicken on a dinner plate, top with the sun-dried tomato pesto and add the arugula salad on the side of the dinner plate and serve

I hope this recipe inspires you in your kitchen – enjoy!