Ingredients
ingredients
3 slices white bread
1 Tbs. pine nuts
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil; more for the pan
4 boneless salmon fillets (about 6 oz. each)
Preparation
how to make
Pulse the bread in a food processor to make breadcrumbs. Remove about 1/2 cup of the crumbs and reserve them. Add the pine nuts, garlic, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper to the crumbs in the food processor and pulse. Add the basil and process again. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow stream, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the pesto is spreadable.
Heat the oven to 400°F. Brush a small baking sheet with oil, put the fillets on it, and season them with salt and pepper. Spread a 1/4-inch layer of the pesto evenly over the top of each fillet. Sprinkle the reserved breadcrumbs over the pesto. Bake until the salmon is cooked – it should just start to turn opaque, with a trace of bright orange in the middle – and the topping is lightly browned, 10 to 15 min., depending on the thickness of the fish.
From Fine Cooking 33, pp. 82
