SAVORY SEARED SCALLOPS AND PESTO-BAKED
BRIE--FAVORITE NEW RECIPES FROM BEAR POND FARM
Our Boston-based "demo diva," Leslie Bistrowitz, offers these super-easy ideas for entertaining. They're compliment magnets!
SAVORY SEARED SCALLOPS Pat dry 1 lb. of sea scallops with paper towels. Salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet to medium hot. Add sufficient olive oil to coat bottom of pan (approx. 1 tablespoon). Heat oil, and add scallops. Sear approx. 2-3 minutes on each side until browned. Add 3 heaping tablespoons of Bear Pond Farm Fresh Lemony Pesto. Toss to cover scallops and heat through. Ladle scallops and sauce onto serving plates. Optional: deglaze pan with a splash of white wine and pour sauce over scallops.
PESTO-STUFFED BAKED BRIE Choose a small (about 6") wheel of Brie with rind, such as Arc de Triumphe brand. Slice the Brie round in half horizontally, like a layer cake. (Tip: A clean piece of dental floss is the ideal slicing tool.) Lay the bottom half of the Brie on an oven-safe dish. Spread the Brie with Bear Pond Farm Onion-Garlic Pesto--use about half of one container. Fit the top half of the Brie over top. Do not press down. Place in a 325ΊF oven for 12-15 minutes. Set out with a small serving knife and crisp crackers.
FAVORITE EVERYDAY RECIPES
CILANTRO COUSCOUS SALAD Cook 1 cup couscous, following package directions. As couscous cooks, dice 1-1/2 cups fresh zucchini squash into 1/2-inch cubes. Steam the zucchini with 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels until cooked through; drain and set aside. When couscous is cooked through, remove to a serving dish and fluff with a fork. Thoroughly mix 3 to 4 tablespoons Bear Pond Farm Rich Cilantro Pesto into the warm couscous. Add the vegetables and 2 chopped scallions. Salt and pepper to taste. May be served warm, chilled or at room temperature.
SUBLIME SALAD DRESSING Blend 3 tablespoons Bear Pond Farm Fresh Lemony Pesto, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar. Light and refreshing on all kinds of greens, especially an arugula salad, and great as a mardinade for lightly steamed vegetables.
PESTO-TOFU SPREAD Mix, by hand or in a food processor, 1/4 cup Bear Pond Farm pesto (any variety) with 1/4 teaspoon salt and one cup tofu. Makes a great high-protein dip for veggies or crackers.
PESTO-GOAT CHEESE SPREAD Blend in food processor: 4 oz. soft mild goat cheese, 2 oz. cream cheese (both at room temperature) and 1/4 cup Bear Pond Farm Premium Basil or Rich Cilantro Pesto. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes if desired. Serve with toasted bread slices or crackers.
WHITE BEAN AND PESTO DIP Process 2 15-oz. cans of cannelloni (white kidney) beans in food processor until smooth. Add 1/2 cup Bear Pond Farm Premium Basil or Fresh Lemony Pesto and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and pulse to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with cracker bread or sliced peppers and carrots.
BASIL-GARLIC MAYONNAISE Pulse 1/2 cup Bear Pond Farm Onion-Garlic Pesto and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne in food processor. Add 3/4 cup mayonnaise and juice of half a lemon. Blend until smooth.
GRILLED PESTO MUSHROOMS Heat grill. Brush 18 large white mushrooms, stems removed, with olive oil. Grill cup side down under low heat for 4-5 minutes. Turn, spoon your choice of Bear Pond Farm Pesto into caps, filling almost to tops. Grill 4-5 minutes longer.
ROASTED PESTO POTATOES Feeds a crowd. Preheat oven to 400ΊF. In a large bowl, toss together the 1-1/2 lbs. red potatoes (cut into 1 chunks) and 3/4 cup Bear Pond Farm Premium Basil or Onion-Garlic Pesto. Spread potatoes on a baking sheet. Bake, checking often, until crispy and golden. Serve hot.
RECIPES WITH PREMIUM BASIL PESTO
GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH Butter the outside of two slices of bread. Spread insides of slices with Bear Pond Farm Premium Basil Pesto. Stuff sandwich with Havarti cheese or your favorite variety. Grill both sides of sandwich, approx. 2-1/2 to 3 minutes total.
GOAT-CHEESE TOMATOES
A great first course.
1/3 cup goat cheese (chevre)
2 tablespoons Bear Pond Farm Premium Basil Pesto
4 medium tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix together goat cheese and pesto in a small bowl; set aside. Cut about 1/4-inch off top of tomato and discard "cap". Drizzle olive oil on tomato. Season with salt and pepper.Bake tomatoes on baking sheet for about 45 minutes, or until tender. (They should not cook so long that they begin to fall apart.) Remove from oven and top with goat cheese mixture. Sprinkle with basil and broil for about 2 minutes, or until cheese begins to turn golden and bubble. Serve immediately.Makes 4 servings.
GRILLED SLICED FLANK STEAK WITH BASIL-ALMOND PESTO
Sure to become a favorite.
1 1-lb flank steak, trimmed of visible fat
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon coriander
2 tablespoons Bear Pond Farm Premium Basil Pesto
non-stick cooking spray
2 tablespoons sliced or slivered almonds
1 tablespoon chopped and seeded jalapeρo pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
Mix salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin and coriander together in a small bowl. Season steak, both sides, set aside and prepare grill. Combine almonds, jalapeno and garlic in blender or food processor and process until finely chopped, about 15 seconds. Add sour cream and lime juice and process until smooth. Over very high heat or flame, grill steak for 6 to 7 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove steak from grill and let it rest 3 to 5 minutes allowing juices to redistribute. Using a very sharp knife, cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve steak with 2 tablespoons Basil Pesto. Makes 4 servings.
RECIPES WITH FRESH LEMONY PESTO
SCALLOP SAUTE On the stove, quickly saute any scallop variety in olive oil. Toss with one or two tablespoons Bear Pond Farm Fresh Lemony Pesto during the last minute of cooking. (Scallops should be lightly browned and cooked through.) Poof! You're a genius!
ZITI WITH LEMONY PESTO AND SAUSAGE
A main dish in minutes.
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled
1 pound ziti pasta, cooked according to package
directions, drained
1/2 cup Bear Pond Farm Fresh Lemony Pesto
1 tablespoon olive oil
Heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, 10 minutes. Drain off excess fat; keep sausage warm. Toss pasta in large serving bowl with sausage and room-temperature Fresh Lemony Pesto.
Makes 4 servings.
GRILLED SWORDFISH WITH FRESH LEMONY PESTO
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup lager beer
4 7-ounce swordfish steaks, each about 3/4-inch thick
10 tablespoons Bear Pond Farm Fresh Lemony Pesto
In a large glass or ceramic baking dish, whisk together oil, garlic, cumin, 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemony Pesto and beer. Arrange swordfish steaks in a single layer in the dish, turn to coat both sides and cover. Let marinate 30 minutes in the refrigerator.Meanwhile, heat a grill to very hot. Grill steaks until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from grill. Top each steak with 2 tablespoons pesto and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
RECIPES WITH ROBUST ARUGULA PESTO
BRIMMING BAGUETTE Slice a fresh baguette in half horizontally, so you have a bottom half and a top half. Spread Bear Pond Farm Robust Arugula Pesto inside each half. Stuff with mozzarella cheese, tomato, onion, poultry or meat--whatever strikes your fancy. Close baguette, spray outside with olive oil and grill, pressing the sandwich between two cast iron skillets. Alternatively, press sandwich with a clean brick, turning it once in order to grill both sides.
SHRIMP TORTELLINI SALAD WITH ARUGULA PESTO
Perfect for barbeque or buffet.
1 pound cheese tortellini, cooked and drained
1 pound large shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined
15-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 red pepper, cored and diced and/or 4 Roma tomatoes,
coarsely chopped
1 tub Bear Pond Farm Robust Arugula Pesto
Place cooked tortellini in a large bowl and add shrimp, artichokes, onion slices, olives, red pepper and/or tomatoes. Toss gently with tub of Arugula Pesto warmed to room temperature. May be refrigerated before serving. Serves 8-10 as part of a buffet.
CHICKEN PANINI WITH MOZZARELLA AND ARUGULA PESTO
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
11 tablespoons Robust Arugula Pesto
1 tablespoon garlic salt
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 loaf Ciabatta or other rustic Italian bread, cut in
8 slices
4 teaspoons butter
Spread chicken pieces both sides with 3 tablespoons pesto. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Grill over medium-high heat until done, about 5 to 10 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Allow to cool, then slice thinly. Make each sandwich: layer 3-4 chicken pieces, a 2-ounce slice of mozzarella and 2 tablespoons pesto between 2 slices of bread. Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a hot sautι pan and grill the sandwich on each side until browned and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 4 sandwiches.
RECIPES WITH RICH CILANTRO PESTO
FLAVORFUL FAJITAS Assemble fajitas your favorite way, spreading the inside of each tortilla with one tablespoon Bear Pond Farm Rich Cilantro Pesto before rolling up.
POACHED CHICKEN BREAST WITH CILANTRO PESTO
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
3 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
8 tablespoons Rich Cilantro Pesto
Optional: 3 cups rice or couscous
In a 6-quart saucepan bring broth and water to a boil. Add chicken and simmer, covered, 9 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let chicken stand in cooking liquid, covered, to cook through, about 20 minutes. Drain chicken and slice 1/4-inch thick. Divide slices between 6 plates. Drizzle each serving with Rich Cilantro Pesto. Optional: Plate chicken slices on a bed of rice or coucous. Drizzle with pesto. Serves 6.
STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH CILANTRO PESTO
Nonstick cooking spray
8 medium portobello mushrooms (5-6 inches in diameter)
1 cup zucchini, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, shredded
3 green onions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
1 cup Bear Pond Farm Rich Cilantro Pesto
1/2 cup shredded, reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
Rinse mushrooms well. Gently remove mushroom stems without damaging mushroom cap. Chop mushroom stems and set aside. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat until hot. Add chopped mushroom stems, zucchini, carrots and green onions and saute until crisp-tender (8-10 minutes). Stir in bread crumbs and pesto and mix well. Divide mixture and gently pack in a mound on the mushroom caps. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange mushrooms on pan and roast at 425ΊF until mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle mushrooms with cheese and continue cooking 5 minutes. Serves 4.
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