You may be wondering why I misspelled pesto. Thanks for feeling the need to kindly correct one of my regularly occurring typos (ahem, MOM), but in this case it's unwarranted. Pesto and pistou are actually distinct things. Similar, yes, but not simply a misspelled version of another. Pistou is essentially a pared down pesto, looser in texture and purer in flavor, made with only basil, garlic, and olive oil. If pesto is pure Italian, pistou is its French cousin. Scallops, as delicate as they are, require a light touch. Pesto, with its added nuts and cheese, would overpower the mild scallop flavor. We still felt basil would be a perfect companion to the scallops, especially during the summer season when basil everything seems to be the case. Pistou turned out to be just the ticket, supporting and enhancing the tender sweetness of the scallops instead of engulfing it. In addition to the scallops and the basil, the olive oil is really the star here. That's why I was so excited to be able to

Share: