Broccoli Pesto
Classic basil pesto, please step aside… Broccoli Pesto is in the house! This creamy-nutty-green sauce will brighten up everything from omelets to garlic bread. Yes, be sure to adorn your hummus and creamy soups with broccoli pesto, but there are countless other ways to enjoy this sauce. Serve as a topping on Broccoli Burrata Bruschetta. Use it as a marinade to add a flavor boost to your grilled shrimp. Slather it in your lasagna layers or in your grilled cheese. For a meal-in-minutes, stir into cooked pasta and toss in that leftover chicken. Follow the simple storage tips to keep a jar handy in your fridge for weeks.
Broccoli Pesto
Makes 2 cups
½ cup walnuts
1 clove garlic
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup packed basil leaves (about 1oz) thick stems removed
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 crown broccoli, about ½ lb. (4 cups of flowerettes)
¾ cup olive oil
1. In a dry skillet on medium heat, cook the walnuts until brown and fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning. Transfer to a plate to cool.
2. In a food processor, pulse the walnuts, garlic and salt until finely chopped. Add the basil leaves, parmesan cheese, black pepper and red pepper flakes; process until coarsely chopped. Set aside.
3.Blanch broccoli in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and lightly tender, 1-2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to a bowl of ice water to cool, 2-3 minutes. Drain and squeeze out liquid.
4. Add the broccoli to the chopped mixture in the food processor. Pulse until chopped and well combined. With the processor running, pour in the olive oil until pureed and smooth.
5. Use as a marinade before grilling shrimp, serve as a condiment on bruschetta, spread in lasagna layers or stir into cooked pasta. Layer into grilled cheese Top soups or hummus
Store your broccoli pesto in a jar, drizzle olive oil over the top and seal closed. This will keep a jar handy in the fridge for a few weeks if you continue to cover the top with olive oil.
