|
|
Pistou is the southern French version of Genoa's pesto. Pesto is
made with basil and garlic but also contains pine nuts, sometimes
walnuts, and usually Parmigiano Reggiano.
Pistou, a mixture often dolloped into vegetable soup, usually contains
neither cheese nor nuts but frequently contains tomatoes.
Purists insist that pistou (and pesto) be made by hand in a large
mortar, but most of us don't have a mortar, much less one large
enough to do the job efficiently. So use a blender. |
|
The
herb crust has an assertive flavor of its own that matches that
of the pistou. It is recommended to not combine the tomatoes with
the pureed basil because they turn the basil a rather dull green.
Add them to the dish separately.
The egg yolk is optional. It turns the basil mixture into a very
light mayonnaise and helps hold it together, but if you don't
mind seeing little oil droplets in the basil mixture or you're
worried about raw egg yolks, just leave it out.
In this recipe the basil leaves are quickly blanched, which keeps
the pistou a bright green and softens its flavor somewhat. Pistou
made with unblanched leaves will taste fine but takes on a murky
gray color.
Makes 6 main-course servings
Six 6 to 8-ounce salmon fillets with the skin and pin bones removed
(Fillets should be no more than 1 inch thick or herb coating will
burn before fish is cooked)
Salt (or 1/2 recipe brine)
Pepper
6 tablespoons total of fresh or dried chopped herbs such as thyme,
marjoram, oregano, savory, or rosemary, alone or in combination
2 tablespoons olive oil
For
the pistou:
2 tablespoons salt
leaves from 1 large bunch basil (about 1 tightly packed cup),
(washed and spun dry)
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine and crushed to a paste with the
side of a chefs' knife
1 egg yolk (optional)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped fine, or two cups assorted
cherry tomatoes, quartered.
|
