Grilled White California Peaches With Almond Mint Pesto Recipes

GRILLED TUNA WITH GRILLED RATATOUILLE COUSCOUS AND DECONSTRUCTED PESTO

Steps:

• Toast 1/2 cup of the couscous in a dry skillet over medium heat. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil, stir in the toasted and untoasted couscous and some salt, cover, and simmer until the couscous is cooked and the stock absorbed, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, and set aside.
• Heat the grill to medium-high. Brush the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red onion with canola oil, season with salt and pepper and grill until both sides are charred and the vegetables tender. Remove, cool slightly, and cut into large chunks.
• Toss the tomatoes with canola oil, season with salt and pepper and grill in the grill basket until they are just lightly charred.
• Brush the tuna steaks with canola oil, season with salt and pepper and grill until golden-brown and medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side.
• Put the chopped vegetables in a large bowl. Add the couscous, basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss.
• Slice the tuna into thick slices. Mound the couscous on a platter, arrange the tuna on top and drizzle with additional olive oil. Garnish with whole basil leaves.

GRILLED WHITE CALIFORNIA PEACHES WITH ALMOND-MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Combine the almonds, mint and honey in a food processor and process until smooth.
• Preheat the grill for high heat direct grilling.
• Brush the cut side of the peaches with canola oil and grill until golden brown and caramelized, about 1 1/2 minutes. Flip and continue grilling until just heated through, about 1 minute longer. Arrange the halves on a platter, cut-side up. Spoon some pesto into the pit hollows and then top with a little dollop of mascarpone. Garnish with torn mint leaves and serve immediately.

FRIED SQUID WITH ANCHOVY DRESSING AND PARSLEY PESTO

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Parsley pesto: In a food processor, combine all ingredients except the oil, and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Fried Squid: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and water until smooth. The batter should be just thick enough to adhere to the squid, season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in a large saucepan to 375 degrees F. Season squid with salt and pepper and dip into the batter, allowing any excess to drip off. Fry the squid until crisp on all sides and golden brown, remove and drain on paper towels. Serve with anchovy dressing and pesto.

GRILLED PEACHES AND ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium-high. Cut peaches in half; remove pits. Brush cut sides with oil. Place cut-sides down on grill. Grill 3 to 4 minutes until grill marks appear. Brush tops with oil, turn over and move to indirect heat. Grill about 10 minutes longer until warm and tender.
• Serve warm peach halves topped with ice cream.

GRILLED SALMON WITH PESTO CRUST

Steps:

• 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, onto 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.