Recipe: 15-Minute Fish with Parsley Pesto

By , SparkPeople Blogger
This time of year, our palates tend to shift from heavy stews and root vegetables of winter to lighter springtime fare. Farmers markets open with spring peas, asparagus, and even herbs. I make use of those fresh herbs in this recipe. Parsley's clean flavor is a perfect match for fresh fish. You can use any white-fleshed fish in this recipe.

We tend to think of herbs as garnishes, but parsley takes a starring role in this fresh pesto. Try it on toasted whole-wheat bread, steamed vegetables, roast lamb or chicken, too. This parsley pesto is called "persillade," from the French word for parsley ("persil"). Usually a mix of chopped parsley and garlic, I bulked mine up with breadcrumbs.

No food processor? Chop the parsley and garlic and stir other ingredients well to combine. Persillade is a traditional accompaniment to another spring favorite: roast lamb.

What I love most about this recipe is the speed of preparation: It takes about 15 minutes to cook. Add whole-wheat couscous and heat up a bag of steam-and-eat frozen vegetables, and you have a restaurant-quality meal ready in less time than it takes to make a frozen pizza.

Per serving:
  • 157 calories
  • 5.3 g fat
  • 99.4 mg sodium

    Get the full recipe here!

    TIP: Fresh herbs are pricey, so buy some plants at your local nursery or farmers market and start growing your own. They'll thrive indoors and serve as a burst of green on your counter, table, or windowsill, too. Basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and mint are all fairly easy to grow.

    What recipes do you crave in spring? What is your favorite fresh herb?