Broccoli Pesto

We are on the cusp of October, and what that means is that  it’s time to harvest all of the tender herbs in your garden. For me, that means basil, and basil means pesto. Pesto is one of those things that I could eat with a spoon. I love the bite of the garlic, the freshness and fragrance of the basil, and the pungency of the Parmesan cheese. Recently I have discovered a lot of new recipes for pesto, and I plan to try them all. This one, for broccoli pesto was something that I couldn’t even imagine. The combination of broccoli and basil doesn’t immediately spring to mind, but it really works. Broccoli is such a wonderful antioxidant, and this is a deliciously easy way to get it into your diet. Whether you like broccoli or not, you’ll never know it’s here.

Sources: Pasta Bowl, Black Floral Flatware

Broccoli Pesto

From loveandlemons.com

 1 heaping cup very small broccoli floret pieces

½ c. fresh basil

⅓ c. extra-virgin olive oil

¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 t. lemon zest

2 garlic cloves

½ t. sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

 Bring a medium pot of water to boil and place a bowl of ice water nearby. Blanch the broccoli in the boiling water for 30 seconds, and then use a slotted spoon to scoop it into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry.

Place the broccoli into a food processor with the basil, olive oil, cheese, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper. Pulse until combined.

If desired, toss the pesto with the cooked pasta. Serve with pine nuts, red pepper flakes, and additional cheese. Season to taste and serve.

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