grilled salmon with pesto crust

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound salmon fillet

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Ready Time: 35 mins


• heat a small skillet over medium heat; cook and stir pine nuts in the hot skillet until fragrant and toasted, about 5 minutes.
• blend basil, parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, and garlic in a blender until a thick paste forms. gradually stream olive oil into blender and continue blending until desired consistency of pesto is reached; season with salt and pepper.
• preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. season both sides of salmon with salt and pepper.
• place salmon, skin-side down, grill grates; close grill and cook until salmon is about 2/3 done, 8 to 15 minutes. remove salmon from grill using a spatula and transfer to a baking sheet, skin-side down. spread pesto evenly over the salmon. save extra pesto for another use if there are leftovers.
• set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• broil salmon until fish flakes easily with a fork and pesto is bubbling, about 5 minutes.