Pesto Style Grilled Salmon Recipes

GRILLED ITALIAN PESTO SALMON 30 MINUTES START TO FINISH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk the pesto, onions, lemon juice, and garlic. Add a few grinds of pepper and a pinch of salt.
• Lightly coat the grill rack with cooking oil or spray. Heat grill to medium high heat (350 F.).
• Once the grill reaches the proper temperature, place salmon skin side down on the grill rack.
• Grill covered over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• Spoon some of the pesto sauce over the salmon taking care it doesn't flame up.
• Grill 15 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Baste occasionally with the remaining pesto sauce.
• Serve with lemon wedges.

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.

GRILLED SALMON WITH CREAMY PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium heat.
• Brush both sides of fish with oil. Grill, skin-sides down, 10 min. or until fish flakes easily with fork.
• Meanwhile, cook cream cheese and milk in saucepan on medium heat 2-3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted and sauce is well blended, stirring constantly. Stir in pesto.
• Serve fish topped with sauce and parsley.

PESTO GRILLED SALMON

Steps:

• Place salmon skin side down on lightly oiled grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5 minutes., In a small bowl, combine the pesto, onions, lemon juice and garlic. Carefully spoon some of the pesto mixture over salmon. Grill until fish flakes easily with a fork, 15-20 minutes longer, basting occasionally with remaining pesto mixture.

PESTO GRILLED SALMON

Steps:

• Put sauce ingredients in food processor and blend until creamy.
• Coat grill rack with oil and place salmon skin down. Grill covered over medium heat for 5 minutes (can broil if you don't have a grill).
• Spoon pesto over salmon reserving 1/4. Grill 15-20 minutes more basting with remaining pesto occasionally until fish flakes with fork.

CEDAR PLANK-GRILLED SALMON WITH CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• This recipe is for OUTSIDE gas or charcoal plank-grilling.
• For the Cedar Planks: I use UNTREATED 1 by 8 construction grade cedar cut to the length of the amount of salmon you wish to cook. (I cut mine in 10-inch lengths for 2 (8- ounce fillets)
• Soaking the planks: Pre-soak cedar planks for at least 1 hour, preferably longer or overnight. Weigh down planks with heavy cans or stones to completely submerge the wood in water.
• Lightly coat the salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on cedar plank skin-side down.
• Turn on your gas grill to high heat. Place planks (loaded up with salmon) on the grill and close lid. Your grill will now turn into an oven/smoker. Cooking time required will vary depending on the size of the salmon. Be careful when you are lifting the grill lid because the burning plank will produce a lot of smoke. Try to keep the lid closed as much as possible as not to lower the temperature inside the grill. When salmon is cooked, remove fish from plank and plunge wood into a bucket of cold water. Serve the salmon immediately with the Cilantro Pesto.
• Place first 4 ingredients in blender or small food processor and completely puree. Add lime juice, jalapeno, and salt and pepper, to taste.

GRILLED CAULIFLOWER WITH CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high.
• Add the cauliflower, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to a large mixing bowl. Toss to coat the cauliflower. Transfer to a grill basket and grill, tossing occasionally, until the cauliflower is charred in places and softened, about 10 minutes. (This can alternatively be done on an indoor grill pan.)
• Transfer the grilled cauliflower to the serving bowl with the Cilantro Pesto and toss to coat.
• Garnish with Cotija cheese and cilantro. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
• Add the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, pepper flakes and garlic to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse together until the garlic is finely chopped. Next, add the cilantro and blend until smooth. Add the cashews and Cotija cheese and pulse until the mixture becomes a thick paste and is evenly combined. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and set aside until the cauliflower is grilled.

GRILLED SALMON WITH SORREL PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat a grill. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reserve 4 sorrel leaves and blanch the rest in the water for 5 seconds. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Drain well and place in a mini food processor or a blender with the parsley, garlic, olive oil and salt. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the jar.
• Grill the salmon steaks until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cut the reserved sorrel leaves across into thin strips. Divide the salmon steaks among 4 plates, top with a dollop of pesto and sprinkle with the sorrel strips. Serve immediately.

DILL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine leaves of dill sprig, pine nuts, parsley, garlic, and Parmesan cheese in a food processor. Pulse until completely combined, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, a small squirt of lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; pulse again.
• Taste for seasonings. Add 1 more tablespoon olive oil and pulse again. Continue adding olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until pesto has the desired flavor and consistency.