"Stacked Pesto"

I had fresh basil and parsley, but I was in a hurry tonight (and I couldn't face the Cuisinart). So I "deconstructed" a pesto, stacking basil chiffonade and chopped parsley on grilled chicken breasts and asparagus. I spooned on a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, into which I had stirred pressed garlic, black pepper and salt (a pinch of red pepper flakes would have been good, too), then grated a little Reggiano on top.

I covered the dish loosely, then parked it in a warm oven while I picked up Liz and the kids at the park, and grabbed a baguette from Babette's.

There weren't any leftovers. The chicken was juicy and very flavorful (I'd thought ahead and taken it off the grill before it was quite done, so it wouldn't dry out). The "pesto" was fresh and herb-y, without the zing of my regular recipe, but still quite good. The asparagus was crisp-tender (like the chicken, I'd under-cooked it a bit). And the juices in the bottom of the dish, sopped up with baguette, were a real treat.

Best of all? 30 minutes, start to finish, and very few dishes to wash.