Fusilli with Seared Salmon & Spinach and Basil Pesto - Recipe by Koji Cooks

FUSILLI WITH SEARED SALMON & SPINACH AND BASIL PESTO

We love Basil in any meal; its freshness and vibrancy immediately bring to mind a warm summer day. In this pesto recipe, I'm adding Spinach, Basil, Walnuts, along with the traditional Pine Nuts. The pasta I chose is Fusilli, with its ridges that hold the pesto perfectly. I'm using blanched Broccoli, which, while not necessary, adds a touch of primavera to the dish. I also enjoy pesto with Penne Rigate, Linguine, or any homemade pasta like Corzetti, a Renaissance-era stamped coin-shaped pasta shown below. I'm garnishing the pasta with quartered Grape tomatoes; the combination of raw and cooked vegetables creates a bright, clean, fresh, and healthy dish. I often use a mix of cooked and uncooked ingredients.

FUSILLI & SEARED SALMON WITH SPINACH & BASIL PESTO - Recipe (serves 2)

PESTO Recipe - See the Koji Cooks Minestrone with Pesto recipe.

1/3 cup Koji's pesto

8 ounces of dry imported Fusilli pasta

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 skinless salmon fillets 4-6 ounces each.

1 cup of broccoli florets, blanched (add to boiling water for 4 minutes, cool in an ice bath, then drain).

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

3 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese.

METHOD - Refer to photos for steps

Preheat a steel pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil, and place the salmon in the pan, cooking for 4 minutes on each side. Simultaneously, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rapid boil, add the Fusilli, and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the fusilli to the pot, mix in the pesto and blanched broccoli, and turn the heat to medium, adding a little of the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to thin. Serve while hot, placing the salmon on top, and garnish with tomatoes, a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.

HAND- MADE CORZETTI PASTA COINS