A different take on traditional pesto, this version uses almonds in place of pine nuts and adds broccoli florets for an intensely green sneaky sauce that lets you add more vegetables into your diet under the cover of aromatic basil, tangy capers, garlic and salty parmesan. This sauce is great on chicken, pasta or grilled vegetables, and we’ve even used it as a tasty dip.
MAKES: 2 cups (480 ml)
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ lb (227 g) broccoli florets
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
- ½ cup (72 g) toasted almonds
- 2 tbsp (17 g) capers
- 1 cup (60 g) tightly packed basil leaves
- ⅓ to ½ cup (80 to 120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup (60 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Steam the broccoli for 6 minutes, until very tender but still bright. Remove from the heat, rinse with cold water and drain well.
- Place the broccoli in the food processor with the garlic and almonds and process to a rough paste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the capers and the basil and process to a smooth paste.
- Continue to process while drizzling in the olive oil and purée until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste, the grated cheese and pulse a few more times to blend completely. Use with hot or cold cooked pasta or
over grilled vegetables.
