Spring salad with a Mache Mint Pesto
Written by xoamys
Pretty little salad…
I thought it was time to make a spring salad filled with lightly sautéed colourful vegetables and toss them around in a home-made pesto sauce. The idea for this dressing came by random, I happened to have a large bush of mint and mache salad leaves left over from the weekend so I decided to build a pesto around them. It ended up being a delicious add-on to the veges, a really unique and refreshing combination. It is the pesto that really makes this dish, the simplicity of it all makes it great! Of course, you can use any seasonal vegetables, but I just love the way the green cauliflower looks, so I feel that is a must. Asparagus season is slowly starting, I feel that would work fabulously in the mix as well. During the summer you could add fresh summer peas, rustic radish or even grilled appricots. This recipe is too easy to make and no fuss needed what so ever. It makes a great light lunch or simple dinner that looks just as pretty as it tastes. You could serve it alongside a grilled whole fish, roasted chicken or a big old steak.
Salad ingredients
- Green cauliflower
- grated garlic
- 1 large shallot
- Baby carrots
- candy stripe beetroot
- thick feta cheese
- fresh mint leaves
- ground black pepper
- grated nutmeg
Mint & Mache Pesto
- 2 cups mint
- 2 cups mache salad leaves
- 1 grated garlic
- 2 tablespoons thick greek yogurt (or creme fraiche)
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts
- squeeze of lime juice
- pinch of salt/ ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon walnut oil
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
Blend together until smoothie and frothy. Add in more yogurt or oil if the consistency is too thick.
Salad Directions
Add a dollop of butter to a medium heated sauce pan. Grate in some garlic and finely chopped shallot. Stir gently for a couple of minutes before adding the chopped green cauliflower and sliced carrots/beets. Add in a pinch of salt, ground black pepper and grated nutmeg. Stir around and cook the vegetables until al dente, so they remain crunchy. Ready to plate: Serve hot with a generous amount of pesto mixed into it. Crumble some feta cheese. Add fresh mint, black pepper and lime juice if needed.
