Pistachio & Broccoli Pesto-Crusted Salmon

Taken from Shape Magazine's January/February 2013 issue from Sodium Girl's Limitless Low-Sodium Cookbook by Jessica Goldmab Foung.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

3/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios 

1 garlic clove

2/3 cup broccoli florets, stems trimmed

1 cup fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon pine nuts

4 3- to 4-ounce salmon fillets (can be subbed with chicken breasts)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Place pistachios in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Add garlic, broccoli, basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and 1 teaspoon water to food processor and pulse until consistency is a thick and chunky purée. Add more water if necessary. 

3.  Put salmon fillets on prepared baking sheet, skin-side down. Use a spatula to evenly distribute the pesto over the fillets and top each with a quarter of the crushed pistachios. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until salmon is just pink.

4. Remove baking sheet from oven and place each piece of salmon on its own plate. Serve immediately with the pasta or grain of your choice, if desired.

This is a tasty dish and changes things up for me in the kitchen as I make a lot of chicken dishes. It is Roommate approved and will be tried with chicken tonight as I made too much toppings. And I'm OK with that.