rocket, caramelised lemon, almond & goats cheese pesto

February 16, 2016

rocket, caramelised lemon, almond & goats cheese pesto

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rocket, caramelised lemon, almond & goats cheese pesto

A zingy rocket and goats cheese pesto with roasted almonds, caramelised lemon, fresh mint, rosemary and garlic. The caramelised lemon, along with the lemon zest adds a deep bitter sweet citrus flavour that works well with the peppery rocket and goats cheese. Roasting the almonds brings out their rich, toasty flavour (they also make a delicious snack sprinkled with a bit of sea salt and smoked paprika too).

This pesto is of course great with pasta or spread on toast for a quick and easy lunch. You can also liven up a soup or stew by stirring in a spoonful or two.

A fresh, vibrant recipe and a reminder of sunnier days to come when it's cold and stormy outside. Bon appetit.

makes enough for 4

preparation/cooking time: less than 30 minutes

ingredients:

75g rocket
75g goats cheese (buche de chevre/goats cheese log)
50g whole almonds
75 - 100ml oil (I used rapeseed oil, but a peppery extra virgin olive oil would work well too)
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 large lemon
2 large garlic cloves
salt and black pepper

method:

zest the lemon and leave to one side until ready to use.

heat a frying pan and gently roast the almonds until they start to go golden brown. Remove the almonds and add the lemon (sliced in half length ways and flesh side down). Fry until starting to brown and caramelise.

add the rocket, goats cheese, roasted almonds, mint, rosemary, lemon zest and juice from the caramelised lemon, garlic and 75ml oil to a food processor/blender and whizz up for a minute or 2.

add salt and pepper to taste and check consistency, if it needs a bit more liquid you can add some more oil. You want a thick, but loose spoonable paste.

best eaten on the day of making. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

rocket, caramelised lemon, almond & goats cheese pesto

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