Pantry Cheffing: Sunshiney Sundried Tomato Pesto with Sardines

I am not a trained chef. I am actually a slightly picky eater. But I do 1. truly enjoy the food that I do eat and 2. love to experiment on flavor profiles. The combination of both factors have led to many a day in the kitchen, playing Pantry Chef.


It's fun to find a recipe then tweak it. It's even more fun to find out that the resulting dish is incredibly yum. Below is my take on the usual sundried tomato pesto. Nothing fancy, nothing incredibly edgy but definitely full of flavor. This is a rare entry in that I usually do not measure out my ingredients when I am cooking, relying more on taste and smell that actual math. Oh, the joys of not baking—where measurements matter. But, I digress. On to the food.


If you dont have the time to make your own pesto, you can always get the pre-made ones from the local grocery stores. I like the brand Bravo, P220 for a bottle. Really yummy.


Ingredients:
- For Sundried Tomato Pesto


250gm sundried tomatoes
toasted pinenuts
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
2/3 cup shaved parmessan
150 mls olive oil
chopped basil
chopped parsley
salt to taste
pepper to taste










- One box All Purpose Cream
- 5 fillets spicy sardines, filleted and shredded *
* Alternatively you can use shredded anchovies, tuna or chicken breast


Directions:
For Sundried Tomato Pesto place all the ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor and blend to a course consistency. Gradually add your olive oil and blend to a smoother paste.


With a wire whisk, slowly add the all purpose cream and shredded sardines no longer lumpy. Keep adding cream to desired texture. Personally I like it a bit lumpy.


Spread on thin bread with some shaved pepper jack then toast, or use as a dip for chips. Or thin it out and use as a pasta sauce.


Serve to friends and family members with a smile :)