Most vegetables are perfect for pesto or salsa, excellent for seasoning pasta, served as a sauce to accompany a second course or as an accompanying cream for croutons during aperitif time.
The combination of almonds and lemon makes broccoli pesto appeal to those who do not like this vegetable. The strong and bitter taste of broccoli is reduced by cooking it quickly and combining it with the sweetness of the almonds and the spiciness of pepper and chilli that will balance everything.
For cooking broccoli and cauliflower, the microwave guarantees shorter cooking times, keeping in most nutrients and saving time, water, and energy.
Ingredients
For 300g of pesto, preparation time 10 minutes, cooking time 5 minutes:
- 500g broccoli – 1 head
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 clove of garlic
- 30g toasted almonds
- Salt and pepper
- Chilli pepper
- 30gr Extra virgin olive oil
- 30gr cold water
Method
1 – Wash and cut the broccoli, florets, and stem, into medium-sized pieces. If the stem looks damaged, you can simply peel it and use the core. Put it in a bowl and cook it in the microwave for about 6 minutes. Alternatively,x you can steam it or cook it in boiling water
2 – In a bowl, juice the lemon and grate the zest. In the blender, place the cooked broccoli, almonds, garlic, salt, pepper and chilli.
3 – Then add the lemon juice, grated zest, oil and water. Blend everything until you get the desired consistency. Season with salt, pepper, lemon and chilli. You can serve this pesto with gluten-free pasta or croutons.
Tips
– If the broccoli is still hot, add a couple of ice cubes to the blender.
– Alternatively, you can cook the steamed broccoli and put them in water and ice to cool them quickly.
