Tomato and Almond Pesto

I am a big fan of ye olde "traditional" pesto...frech basil blended with pine nuts, garlic, parmesan and olive oil.  As a matter of fact, I made a batch last night from my backyard basil bounty and enjoyed it with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella.

But there are many variations on that great theme.  I have seen plenty of recipes using othyer green herbs like parsley and even cilantro.  And you could use pecans or walnuts.  You get the idea.

This fresh and delicious recipe adds tomatoes into the mix and goes for almonds as its nut choice.  It's yummy.  Perfect with some pan-roasted cod as pictured above.  But would also be good on sauteed vegetables, grilled chicken or even just a piece of toasted baguette.

Try it...it's likely to become one of your summer go-to condiments.

Tomato and Almond Pesto

From Food & Wine magazine.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds

1 cup cherry tomatoes

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 packed cup basil leaves

1/4 cup water

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the almonds and toast over high heat, shaking the pan, until lightly browned, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until the skins just brown, 2 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, basil and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pulse until the almonds are chopped. Add the water and process to a chunky puree. Season with salt and pepper and serve.