The Art of Food: mint and pistachio pesto

Showing posts with label mint and pistachio pesto. Show all posts

Easy Entertaining: Preserved Lemon Hummus

Preserved Lemon Hummus

Easy appetizer or lunchbox healthy snack, there's nothing more satisfying than a hearty hummus.

What makes this hummus different from all the rest? A hint of preserved lemon adds that extra something special that makes this humble hummus into a luscious spread.

Ingredients:

1- 6oz jar of Bella Cucina Lemon & Garlic Chickpeas

1 wedge of Bella Cucina Preserved Lemon, rinsed and seeds removed

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon Tahini

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

2 Tablespoons warm water

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in food processor and lightly pulse until mixture reaches desired consistency. Serve with baked pita chips or garden veggies.

* OPTIONAL VERSIONS

Add one of the following to the preserved lemon hummus base recipe:

- add 2 Tablespoons Sweet Pepper Pesto

- add 2 Tablespoons Mint & Pistachio Pesto

Roasted Plum, Radicchio, + Goat Cheese Salad with Mint Pesto Vinaigrette

Roasted Plum, Radicchio, and goat cheese salad with mint pesto vinaigrette

Serves 6

4 large handfuls of wild arugula

1 ea small head of radicchio, grilled

¼ c walnuts

3 T Bella Cucina Chestnut Honey

4 oz goat cheese

1 ea jar Bella Cucina Plums, halved and roasted

1 T balsamic vinegar

3 T Bella Cucina Tangerine Oil

2T Bella Cucina mint pesto

½ t kosher salt

½ t cracked black pepper

For the Vinaigrette:

Whisk together the vinegar, pesto, salt, and pepper. While whisking continuously slowly drizzle in the tangerine oil. When the dressing is well mixed set aside (this is a broken vinaigrette so it will never fully come together)

For the Salad:

Put the honey into a cold pan and turn on to medium heat. When the honey begins to bubble wait one minute then turn off the heat, but do not remove from the burner, add the walnuts to the honey and stir to coat. (If at any point in the process of heating and reducing the honey it begins to rapidly darken in color or bubble out of control simply remove form the heat)

Place the greens in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Top the salad with the goat cheese and caramelized walnuts.

Mint + Pistachio Pesto with Jasmine Rice and Grilled Shrimp

My dear friends Caryl + Ken of Lotus Foods import rice from around the world. I love their Jasmine rice; tiny grains of fragrant flavor that enhance any sauce or side dish.

We love the exotic flavors of jasmine rice with the bright clean flavor of a garden mint + pistachio pesto. Eat it as is or toss with grilled shrimp, chicken or spring peas.

Mint & Pistachio Pesto with Jasmine rice and Grilled Shrimp

1-1/2 cups jasmine rice, cooked according to directions

1/4 cup mint + pistachio pesto

1 wedge preserved lemon, rinsed, pulp removed and cut into fine dice

1/2 pound grilled shrimp or chicken

Cooked the rice just until tender. While still warm, toss the rice with the pesto so it absorbs the flavors of the herbs. Serve as is with a garnish of toasted pistachios or toss with grilled shrimp or pulled roasted or sliced grilled chicken, or blanched spring peas.

Zucchini Involtini

Zucchini + Fresh Ricotta Involtini

  1 cup Fresh Tomato Puree or Sauce

1 cup vegetable stock

3 large, long green zucchini cut lengthwise into thin strips

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbs. Kosher salt

¾ cup ricotta cheese

¼ Parmesan cheese

2 Tbs. Mint + Pistachio Pesto

1 tsp. black pepper

1 whole egg

1 tsp. fresh mint leaves, chopped

6 oz. fresh Mozzarella Cheese

Pour the pureed tomato or tomato sauce and broth into a saucepan. Heat and keep warm until ready to use. * In summertime when tomatoes are are the height of season, cut and roast 2# tomatoes in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper and puree.

Arrange zucchni slices on a plate and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Grill over a medium flame on a barbeque or in a grill pan until light brown, about one minute per side.

To make filling:

In a medium mixing bowl add parmesan, ricotta, basil, black pepper, salt, egg and mint. Mix until all ingredients are combined.

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spoon the warm sauce into a medium-sized oven proof casserole.

Take one slice of zucchini and place 2 Tablespoons on the filling mixture at one end and slowly roll it loosely to the other end. Continue with the remaining slices of zucchini.

Place one slice of the mozzarella over each piece and bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted, slightly brown and bubbly.

Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and a grating of parmesan before serving

Lamb & Mint Meatballs with Tomato Broth

LAMB and MINT MEATBALLS WITH TOMATO BROTH

This recipe would also make a great appetizer- serve the meatballs on skewers. Serve with
tomato broth and mint yogurt on the side as a dipping sauce.

1 pound ground lamb

2 Tablespoons Mint & Pistachio Pesto *

1 Tablespoon chopped yellow onion

1 Tablespoon pine nuts

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup Passata or tomato sauce

1 cup chicken broth

In a medium bowl, mix the lamb, mint, onion, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Roll into 1 inch meatballs.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil until warm. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides. Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth. Simmer, covered, over low heat until the meatballs are cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Serve over couscous. Garnish with fresh mint and dollop of Greek yogurt sauce {1/4 cup yogurt plus 1 teaspoon Mint and Pistachio Pesto }

Serves four to six.

* Substitute with 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves

Buon appetito! copyright 2010 Alisa Barry