This is my third videoblog post. If you are reading this through email or RSS, please click through to see the video. Thanks! When I was younger I recall pasta salads being a staple item come summer time. They were ubiquitous at summer barbecues and beach parties. I haven t encountered a pasta salad in the longest time and I don t know if this is because people are still steering clear on account of the low-carb craze or what but I miss these salads and I m bringing one back! I first made this salad a year ago when I came across the recipe in a Martha Stewart cookbook. I remember why I tried it in the first place - the idea of a minestrone salad sounded so good to me. I love minestrone soup so I figured it wasn t much of a stretch to assume I d like this salad. This salad brings together a symphony of summer vegetables and it still amazes me that with such simple seasonings this salad packs so much flavor! It s the perfect dish to bring along to a summer pot-luck or simply to enjoy with any summer meal. This is also a very easy recipe to double so you can accomodate any size crowd! Minestrone Salad from Martha Stewart Living Annual Recipes 2002 1 Teaspoon coarse salt (I use sea salt) 8 oz. Gemelli or other pasta (I used farfalle) 1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil 1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice 1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice (I also added a summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice) 4 oz. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 1/4 cups corn kernels, cut from 1 ear, or defrosted (I used defrosted) Freshly ground black pepper 2 Tablespoons baslamic vinegar 1 15 oz. can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1 pound of tomatoes, coarsely chopped - use whatever variety is fresh - I used grape tomatoes 1 handful chopped fresh basil 1) Boil water for the pasta, once it comes to a boil add a big pinch of salt and then add the pasta. Depending on the type of pasta you ve chosen the exact cooking time may vary - check the box and then test the pasta a few minutes before the instructions on the box. That way you can make sure to get the pasta al dente without over cooking. Because the pasta will continue cooking a little while after being drained and it will absorb the dressing you want the pasta to be very al dente. Drain and rinse pasta and set aside. 2) Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until it begins to soften - about 2 minutes. Then add the carrot - cook for 4 minutes. Next add teh zucchini, green beans, and corn. Cook until all of the veggies are tender about 10-15 minutes - stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the veggies to a bowl, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, cannellini beans, tomatoes, and the pasta. I also added freshly chopped basil. Taste the salad and adjust the flavors - add more salt/pepper if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy!

If you are reading this via email or RSS, please click through to the site to see the video of me preparing this meal. There seems to be a heat wave going on everywhere right now. When I talk to my parents in Boston, my boyfriend s parents in Toronto, or relatives in Europe the topic of conversation is always the heat! Well, normally I d complain about not having a grill but right now I m quite content grilling inside on my little grill pan with lovely cool central air conditioning! I ve been using my grill pan a bit more recently and the perfect occasion to break it out today is for my submission to the Carnival of the Grill hosted by Adam of Men in Aprons. I love the idea of this - I only wish there was a way to taste everyone s creations too! Since it s so hot these days I wanted to grill something light and summery. One dish that has proven to be a winner combines one of my all-time favorite ingredients: pesto. I love the intense flavors of a freshly made basil pesto and I make it fairly often as it pairs wonderfully with so many things. When I saw Giada De Laurentiis on Everyday Italian make beautiful grilled tuna steaks served with pesto I was inspired. I ve made this dish several times now and not only is it delicious but it s super easy to make as well. I make pesto and then grill the tuna for a few minutes on each side so that it s seared on both sides but still rare in the middle. This is a fantastic summer dinner. For the tuna: Grill Seared Tuna Steaks with Pesto Fresh Tuna Steaks (approx. 2 inches thick or so) Salt/Pepper Olive oil 1) Heat a grill pan over medium to high heat. You want the pan to be sizzling hot when the tuna is placed in the pan - to test it I sometimes just flick a little water on the pan and if you hear an immediate sizzle then it s ready. 2) Wash the tuna steaks and pat them dry with a paper towl. Drizzle with just a touch of olive oil and sprinkle each side with salt and pepper. 3) Add the tuna to the grill pan and leave it for about 2 minutes. Flip the steaks and grill for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and you can either serve the tuna steaks as is or serve them sliced. To cut the tuna make sure to slice it tuna against the grain meaning against the lines of the fish. Serve with pesto. For the pesto: Basil Pesto 2 Big handfuls of fresh basil, remove the stems 1/2 Garlic clove 1/4 Cup toasted pine nuts 1 1/2 Teaspoon lemon juice 1/4 Teaspoon sea salt 3-5 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (I give a little range here - it s about achieving the right flavor and thickness which depends upon your tastes - if you re not sure start w/ 3 tablespoons and add more if necessary) 1 1/2 Tablespoon of finely grated parmesan cheese 1) In a small dry pan toast the pine nuts over medium heat. Keep an eye on them and shuffle the pan from time to time so that they get a nice even golden color. The pine nuts will toast very quickly, when they are golden on most sides remove from heat and allow to cool. 2) In a food processor (you can also use a blender, just be sure to scrape down the sides frequently with a spatula so that everything gets incorporated) add the basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, toasted pine nuts, and start to pulse it. Slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube as the blender is running. You ll notice the pesto start to come together and transform from a coarse mass of basil into a smooth sauce. The reason that I give a range for the amount of olive oil is so that you can control for the consistency that you prefer. For a more coarse thick pesto use less olive oil, for a smoother thinner sauce add a little more. Over time you won t even need to measure as you ll develop an eye for your desired consistency. Also, I usually wait to add the parmesan cheese until after I ve blended the other ingredients - I learned this from Giada and I find that by not mixing the parmesan in the blender you get the added texture of the cheese in addition to flavor. A very important part of the pesto-making process is to taste as you go along and adjust the flavors to your liking. Keep in mind though that the parmesan cheese is very salty so wait until after you ve added the cheese to adjust for saltiness.