When I say the words pesto and bruschetta do you think of savory basil and tomato topped crostini? Well get ready for a tantalizing twist to this traditional Italian fare!
I have 3 of the most beautiful citrus herbs growing in my garden this year. pineapple sage, lemon verbena, and orange citrus mint.
So I thought why not replace the basil, parsley, spinach trio with these fragrant leaves, enhanced by the zest of lime, clementine, and lemon.
Then I continued to turn things upside down with mascarpone instead of parmesan, and a delicious blood orange fused oil instead of olive. To me, citrus pesto screamed for macadamias rather than pine nuts. For a little island infusion I dosed the mixture with coconut milk. A bit of honey and a couple ounces of a South African wine sweetened it up.
Citrus pesto is fantastic on salmon, halibut, mixed into pasta or rice.
But the crostini spread with a layer of citrus ginger mascarpone, followed by pesto, topped with a chunk of fresh pineapple that's been sauteed in butter, sugar, pineapple AND coconut rum is perfection! Keep reading to find that recipe and see the 2 other ingredients that really send this over the top!
Citrus Macadamia Coconut Pesto
Ingredients
1 cup fresh pineapple sage
1/2 cup fresh lemon verbena
3/4 cup fresh orange citrus mint
zest of 1 lime
zest of 1 clementine
zest of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup unsalted roasted macadamia nuts
3 splashes of lemon juice
1 splash of lime juice
2 ounces white wine (I used Star Tree 2010 Nouveau Blanc from South Africa, but you can use any sweet white wine like Moscato or riesling)
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup blood orange fused oil (this is seasonal so substitute with any orange oil)
3 pinches of salt and pepper or to taste
Directions For Pesto
Combine herb leaves and zest into a food processor. Pulse several times to chop up leaves. Add nuts, juices, and wine. Pulse to blend and chop nuts. Add honey, milk, and cheese. Pulse a few times to blend.
With processor running, pour the oil in. Add salt and pepper. Pulse just to mix that in.
Pineapple Rum Mascarpone Bruschetta
Ingredients
11 ounces of fresh pineapple chunks, each cut into 2 to 3 slices
1/2 to 3/4 cup pesto
1 loaf French bread, cut into about 32 slices
1 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 ounce pineapple rum
1 ounce coconut rum
1/4 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
pineapple sage simple syrup (1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water, bring to a boil until sugar dissolves, then add 2 cups pineapple sage)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sugar
Directions For Bruschetta
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut French bread into about 32 slices. Place on a baking sheet and heat about 10 to 15 minutes until they are slightly browned and crisp. Remove from oven and brush with pineapple sage syrup. This lends a pleasant sweetness to the bread to carry the sweet theme throughout. Place bread back into the oven for 3 or 4 more minutes to dry the bread. You want it be nice and crusty.
While bread is heating, melt butter in a skillet. Add pineapple. Sprinkle each side with sugar. Saute until slightly browned. Pour rums in and let evaporate for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from pan to a plate and allow to cool.
Stir together mascarpone, lemon zest, honey, and fresh ginger. Set aside.
Spread each slice of bread with a layer of mascarpone. Then smear the pesto on, top with a slice of pineapple, and sprinkle with macadamia nuts.
Pair these creamy, citrusy, nutty, crunchy little gems with Albarino, a Spanish white wine or Menage A Trois Pinot Grigio
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