10 ways with Pesto with Susie Middleton

Chef Susie Middleton is the former editor of Fine Cooking Magazine and the author of two cookbooks on vegetables- in fact she’s known as ‘The Vegetable Queen. These days she’s all about living a good and simple life and she blogs about it on her site Six Burner Sue- but it could be called Farm Stand Sue! She’s just launched a farm stand on Martha’s Vineyard.

10 things to do with Pesto from Susie Middleton
1. In a vinaigrette. Combine with white balsamic vinegar, a little lemon juice and a bit more olive oil. Drizzle on grilled vegetables, green beans or new potatoes.
2. On pizza. Use as a base instead of tomato sauce. Add sliced cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.
3. In sandwiches. Sure, you can use it on bread, but try it in a different kind of sandwich—one made with two slices of grilled eggplant or grilled zucchini. After cooking the veggies, let them cool and put a bit of goat cheese or mozzarella and some pesto between two slices for a fun appetizer or side dish.
4. On pasta, of course! Toss with warm angel hair or linguine, fresh peas, and grilled shrimp. Yum.
5. With fish. Top a white fish fillet like halibut or striper with a bit of pesto and some fresh breadcrumbs before baking.
6. On crostini. Slice and toast baguette, spread with pesto, top with a slice of fresh mozzarella and a roasted or sundried tomato.
7. With soup. Swril a little pesto into a cold carrot or potato or tomato soup. Or drizzle some into a seafood chowder.
8. In a dip. Layer softened goat cheese, pesto, chopped sundried tomatoes, and chopped toasted pine nuts in a wide, straight-sided dish (4 or 5 inches across, a few inches deep). Repeat the layers. Serve with crackers or bread.
9. With eggs. Add a little pesto to omelettes, frittatas, or even scrambled eggs.
10. On tomatoes. Dress up the classic tomato and fresh mozzarella antipasto with pesto instead of fresh basil and a smattering of pitted Nicoise olives.