An herbaceous, zippy pesto to serve with crudités (like this one) or whatever else inspires you. There’s really no way to avoid bruising the mint when blitzing it to a paste in a blender, so don’t be alarmed when this pesto turns a forest-green color. Any leftover pesto will happily transform deeply roasted root vegetables into something worthy of center stage. This recipe is from Montreal’s cozy-cool coffee-pizza-wine restaurant Elena.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes about ¾ cup
Ingredients
⅔
⅔
1
¼
2
½
½
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 5–8 minutes. Let cool. Finely chop 1 Tbsp. nuts and set aside.
Step 2
Blend oil, salt, pepper, and remaining nuts in a blender until nuts are finely ground. Add 2 cups mint and blend until a coarse purée forms; season with salt and pepper. Transfer dip to a small bowl; stir in Parmesan.
Step 3
Just before serving, squeeze juice from lemon into dip and stir well. Scatter some mint leaves and reserved toasted nuts over.