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Another Way to Use Pesto: Mixed Vegetable Salad
I've made this for years, based on a recipe from the Washington Post, but I have changed it in many ways.
The original recipe called for cooking the onions, adding chicken stock, and then adding the other vegetables according to cooking times. But I've found that everything tastes far better if it's cooked quickly without the stock. So I do the beans on the stove and the zucchini in the microwave. I usually use frozen corn and add it to the beans a minute or two before they're ready to be drained.
What really makes this wonderful is the topping. The recipe called for some melted butter and chopped basil, and that IS good. But recently I had a spoonful or two of pesto to use up, and I decided to experiment by mixing it into some olive oil and using it as a dressing on the salad. And it's even better!
Keep the dressing separate and this will keep very well in your fridge. It tastes good eaten hot or cold and is excellent with poultry or any simple made meat or fish. I like to make it as the side dish when we are having Turkey Meatloaf. I also like to eat it all by itself. It's that good!
VEGETABLE SALAD WITH PESTO DRESSING
1 diced sweet onion
1 lb trimmed green beans in 1" size pieces
2-3 cubed zucchini (you can use green or yellow or both)
1 cup corn (frozen corn is fine)
2 cubed tomatoes or diced cherry tomatoes (about 1/2 pint)
1T pesto
olive oil
Saute onion in 2 T of oil for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cook the beans in boiling water for 5-6 minutes. Taste for doneness. Add corn during last 2 minutes or so of cooking.
Cook the zucchini in the microwave in a covered dish. Zucchini will take 3-6 minutes for doneness, depending on the strength of your microwave.
Combine zucchini, beans, corn and onions in a large bowl. Add the diced tomatoes.
In a small dish, mix the pesto with about 1/4 c olive oil to dissolve.
Serve with the pesto dressing on the side and allow diners to add the dressing to their taste.
