We got our hands dirty with our very first garden. Being gardening newbies is fun — multiple trips to the nursery for supplies, brand new gardening hats and our recent zen-like acceptance of weeds. So far our most successful crop is basil. It’s practically coming out of our ears. (By the way, do you want some basil?) Tomatoes are showing promise, but right now we’re in a how-may-ways-can-we-use-basil-today kind of mood.
How to Make Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
The basil dressing is so simple to make and is absolutely perfect tossed with pasta. It’s also excellent over salad, grilled shrimp or chicken. When you add the dressing, add it while the pasta is still warm. This way the pasta soaks up lots of flavor — more than if you were to add it to cold pasta. We also add grilled vegetables. They soak up lots of the flavor from the dressing and add a nice crunch to the pasta salad. You can eat this warm or cold. I fell in love with it immediately, but Adam thinks it’s best eaten at room temperature. So this is perfect for picnics or barbecues. You could even toss some grilled chicken or shrimp on top. Recipe updated, originally posted July 2013. Since posting this in 2013, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne 1 red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch rings 2 bell peppers, seeds removed and quartered 3/4 pound dry pasta such as cavatappi, fusilli or penne 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and fresh ground black pepper 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard 1 teaspoon honey, plus more to taste 2 teaspoons lemon zest 1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed Salt and fresh ground black pepper 2Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over medium heat or prepare an outdoor grill or barbecue (medium heat). 3Toss vegetables with 2 tablespoons of oil then season with salt and pepper. Grill vegetables, turning occasionally, until cooked through and edges are beginning to brown; 8 to 10 minutes. Cut vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces. (If using a grill pan, you may need to do this in batches.)
