This month, we’ll be traveling to Mexico, through food that is. I have been to the library and taken out some cookbooks to help me along the way. But, for this week the recipes I’m featuring are more Mexican-inspired than traditional and that’s what I love about cooking…you can experiment to your heart’s content.

Pesto is one of my favorite sauces and I had a couple avocados in my kitchen this week, so I decided to adapt the pesto recipe from Make the Bread, Buy the Butter. Adding avocado to the mix, gives the pesto an extra creaminess and I added the serrano chiles to give it a little kick.

Tuna is also a fish I really like and it doesn’t require much to bring out that

Avocado pesto
1 large bunch of basil, leaves only, washed and dried
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 medium Hass avocado
1 green onion, chopped with some green parts
juice from half a lime
1 – 2 chopped serrano chile peppers, seeded (or keep seeds if you want more kick)
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tbsp. roasted pine nuts
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt to taste

Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until smooth and creamy. Salt to taste, then add to your choice of cooked pasta.

Seared ahi tuna
1 lb ahi tuna steak, cut in half
kosher saltground white pepper
ground cumin
1/2 tbsp. olive oil

Season each side of steak with with salt, pepper, cumin and brush with olive oil. Heat a skillet to medium-high and saute each side for 1 – 2 minutes.