Quick & Simple Pesto Sauce "Light"

With our garden bursting with basil (not so much with tomatoes), this is a great time to make some pesto-sauced pasta for a warm summer night dinner. (I like to use bow tie or mezzi riggatoni).

Serves 2-4

1 cup lightly packed fresh basil

1/4 cup pine nuts

Garlic to taste (I use about 1/4 of a large clove)

1/4 cup hot pasta cooking water

1/4 cup mild flavored olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese 

Toast the pine nuts with garlic (careful not to burn) then add to the food processor with the hand-torn basil. Pulse to chop. 

To lighten things up a bit I add some hot water used to cook the pasta,  process,  then slowly drizzle in the same amount of mild flavored olive oil and process all until smooth.

Of course basil should be the star but if you find it a bit strong, just reduce the amount of basil and add some spinach. 

Made with about 2 pounds of local Maine-grown mussels, this quick and simple dish makes a great lunch or light dinner.  If it all hasn't been mopped up with the crusty French bread this is served with,  the broth that remains is excellent as a base for seafood paella or even a wonderful New England clam chowder.

 I include about half  of a small, sliced bulb of fennel  in addition to the usual suspects of a crushed garlic glove or two, some chopped onions or shallots,  a glass of white whine and a handful of cilantro all topped off with a couple of tablespoons of butter and a few lemon slices. 

All of that goes into covered pot, gas turned to medium and cooked/steamed until the mussels open, usually between 2-5 minutes. I check after about 2 minutes and begin removing any open mussels so they don't overcook. I discard any un-opened mussels.

I got the idea to use fennel from a wonderful Northern Italian restaurant, Ports of Italy, here in Boothbay Harbor. They also add sambuca to flavor their dish. I didn't add it to this version since I planned to use the remaining broth as a base for preparation of a seafood stock to use in a paella. 

Grilled Loin of Pork with Grilled Tomatoes & Nectarines Compote

Grilled and Hickory Smoked Chicken with Roasted Potatoes

Stuff cavity with lemon, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, shallot and garlic

Weber fitted with rotisserie. Note soaking hickory wood chips

Roast until instant read thermometer reads about 165 F,  about 90 minutes 

Down East Hot Dog

*2 grilled dogs (Nathan's)
*Home made Coleslaw
*Home made bread & butter pickles and onions
*Mustard (Sabrett, Nathan's, Gouldans spicy brown mustard
*Toasted Kaiser roll

Watermelon with Basil and Crumbled Goat Cheese in a Balsamic Vinaigrette

Love The Thursday Boothbay Harbor Farmers' Market!