A Few More Dishes with Tarragon Cashew Pesto

A few weeks ago, I posted a recipe for tarragon-cashew pesto (click HERE for the recipe), which is one of my favorites. I then mentioned that I use the pesto in numerous dishes. In the recipes here, you can find a few of these free-style dishes. Hopefully they will inspire you to use this, or any other type of pesto, in different, tasty ways. Try them and enjoy.

Stuffed mushrooms with Tarragon-Cashew Pesto
Preheat the oven to 410F (210C). Remove the legs of 4 large button mushrooms and scrape off the dark gills. Mix 4 Tbs pesto with 2 Tbs sour cream and fill the mushrooms. Sprinkle the top with some red salt (or other coarse salt), and bake for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle chopped tarragon on top and serve.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Tarragon-Cashew Pesto
Preheat the oven to 410F (210C). Clean and cut 1 medium size Acorn squash into medium size sections. Place on a roasting pan, sprinkle with a bit of salt and light olive oil and roast for 30-35 minutes. Arrange on a serving plate, add 2-3 Tbs pesto on top and serve.

Chicken breast with mushrooms, gnocchi, cherry tomatoes and Tarragon-Cashew Pesto
Cook 1 lb 1.6oz (500 grams) store bought potato gnocchi according to package instructions. Heat 2 Tbs olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add 8 sliced button mushrooms (legs removed) mix and fry for 2 minutes. Move the mushrooms to one side of the pan and add 1 medium size chicken breast, sliced. Fry for 2 minutes and add the drained gnocchi. Flip the chicken and fry for 2 more minutes. Add about 10 halved cherry tomatoes and 2 Tbs pesto. Mix and fry for 2-3 minutes longer. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

Skirt steak with Tarragon-Cashew Pesto
Season 10oz (280 grams) skirt steak, cut into thick strips, with ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper and mix with 2 Tbs light olive oil. Fry in large pan over high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add ¼ cup pesto, mix well and fry for another minute. Serve immediately.

Shrimps with Elbow Pasta and Tarragon-Cashew Pesto
Cook 2 cups elbow pasta according to the instructions on the package. Heat 1 Tbs butter and 1 Tbs olive oil in a large pan, over medium-high heat. Add 10-12 peeled and deveined medium size shrimps and fry for 2 minutes. Add 2 heaped Tbs of pesto, and the drained cooked pasta. Mix, taste, and adjust seasoning. Cook for 2 minutes. Serve immediately, with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Sirloin Steak Tips with King Oyster Mushrooms and Tarragon-Cashew Pesto
In a large pan, heat 2 Tbs olive oil over medium-high heat, and add 3 King Oyster mushroom, cut into medium size pieces. Mix and fry for 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Add 2 heaped Tbs of pesto and mix well. Add 1Tbs olive oil to the pan, heat over high heat and add 10 oz (280 gram) sirloin steak tips, cut into medium pieces. Fry for 2-3 minutes and add to the bowl with the mushrooms. Mix well, adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

Wonton Ravioli with Brown Butter and Tarragon-Cashew Pesto
For the filling, I’ve used 1 cup of leftover steak tips with mushrooms, which I processed in a food processor. For the ravioli: place 10-12 wonton wrappers on a work surface. Place 1 tsp of the filling in the center, brush the sides with water, fold and press with a fork. Bring slightly salted water to the boil, lower the heat to medium-high and add the ravioli. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the ravioli float to the top. Drain and transfer to serving bowls. Melt 4 Tbs butter over medium-high heat and let it cook until it foams and turns golden brown. Add 2 Tbs pesto, a drizzle of fresh lemon juice, and ¼ tsp freshly ground 4 pepper mix. Mix and pour over the ravioli. Serve immediately.