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

Sliced avocado

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 and avocado pesto 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.

Seared tuna