In the summertime, my basil plants grow like weeds. When I see them starting to get a little out of control, I snip them right back and use the leaves I’ve collected to make up some pesto. I toss that pesto through pasta, slather it on bread, or use it to make a simple fish, like cod, sit up and sing. Delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 cod fillets (6 ounces each)
- Sliced lemons, for serving
Directions
- In a food processor or a blender, pulse the garlic, pine nuts, basil, parsley, and Parmesan until a thick paste has formed and the garlic and pine nuts are finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and pulse again. With the processor running, add the oil in a thin stream and puree until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Slather the fillets with the pesto and let them marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Bring the fillets to room temperature. Place the fillets in a baking dish and roast for 15 minutes, or until the fish is no longer opaque and flakes easily. Serve with sliced lemons.
Serves 4
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