Basil Salmon

We love pesto…I raise basil just for pesto and spaghetti sauce.  We also love salmon, and the combination was excellent.  This recipe makes more pesto than you need, and I used the remaining pesto on spaghetti the next day.  The only thing I did differently was to not bake the salmon so long – we like ours just flakey and moist.  If you don’t have basil, you can use purchased refrigerated pesto.  This recipe is simple and delicious.

Basil Salmon

  1 1/2  Cups  Fresh Basil Leaves

  3        Tablespoons  Olive Oil -- plus 2 teaspoons

  1 1/2  Teaspoons  Garlic -- minced

     3/4 Teaspoon  Pepper

     1/2 Teaspoon  Lemon Juice

  1        Tablespoon  Parmesan Cheese -- plus 4 teaspoons, shredded

  4        Salmon Fillets -- 6 ounces each

For pesto, combine basil, oil, garlic, pepper, lemon juice, salt and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese in a food processor, cover and process until finely chopped.

Place the salmon in a greased 13 x 9 x 2" baking dish.  Spread 2 tablespoons of pesto over fillets.  (Use remaining pesto for another dish)

Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-22 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork (I baked mine for 12 minutes). Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake 2-3 minutes longer until cheese is melted.

Serves 4

  "Simple and Delicious Cookbook "

Per Serving: 297 Calories; 16g Fat (50.8% calories from fat); 35g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 89mg Cholesterol; 138mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 5 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat.