Pesto always seemed like the fancy pasta choice at a restaurant. Or to add an extra flourish to a pizza. Yet for me being lactose intolerant I always had to shy away from picking anything with pesto-despite it’s green appearance it traditionally contains Parmesan cheese. The logical option would have been to rush home and make it myself. However, the ingredients from the cheese, to the crazy amount of basil required, and of course the pine nuts add up to a price point that always left me saying maaaybe I should make something else.
But then it dawned on me that I can have pesto without the hefty price tag and bloating inducing dairy. Because what I am craving with pesto is freshness and vibrancy through herbs- that doesn’t mean it has to be the standard full basil.
Enter in the people’s herb: parsley. You know that limp piece of greenery that has historically been a restaurants favourite way of garnishing a plate of food. Are you supposed to eat it? Is it like an after dinner palate cleanse? So many questions. But I digress, parsley can be so much more than a last minute extra, but instead can play the lead in the show.
The pesto does have a few supporting characters to boost the flavour. I’m talking garlic, lemon, apple cider vinegar, and pepitas (yes my recipe does have a few sprigs of basil, but if you don’t have any please don’t fret it will taste great without it). Pepitas are kinda of like the cousin to the much well known fall classic pumpkin seed, minus the fibrous shell. Like any seed/nut on the block they aren’t the cheapest item on the grocery list. However, they definitely bestow a reduction in price compared to the pine nut, while still providing the purpose of added bulk and texture. I also love adding pepitas as a topping to my salads.
Now you are at the point that your pesto is ready to go and you are wondering but what do I do with it? The answers are limitless. Add it to tilapia, mix it into some angel hair pasta, use it as a topping for garlic bread..you see where I’m going with this. Wherever you want a burst of freshness and acidity add this pesto.
What I really wanted to do with this pesto was up my side dish game. I was bored of the perpetually roasted or stir fried vegetables that frequent my dinner plates. With summer more or less in full swing (someone needs to tell Vancouver that this means sun and warm temperatures!) I wanted to take my veg to the grill. I like how the char provides a nice smoky aromatic to the otherwise inherently sweet produce. When I served this for M, I placed the platter on the table in the middle of us. It felt like a vegetarian crab boil- all the yumminess sprawled across the board ready to grab with my fork. It made eating dinner fun and would definitely be a great way to eat with friends and family.
Parsley Pesto Grilled Vegetables
Ingredients
- Pesto:
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/3 cup parsley
- 5 basil leaves ~1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- S+P
- Veg Options:
- mini potatoes
- zucchini
- red onion
- carrot
- bell pepper
Directions
- Step 1 Without blender/processor: finely dice seeds, parsley and basil. In small bowl add in rest of pesto ingredients-stir to combine. Rustic style!
- Step 2 Using blender/processor: rough chop herbs and seeds and add to blender. Add all other ingredients except the oil. Once combined add oil while blending to create your pesto. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Step 3 For the grilled vegetables, pick whichever you like best or what is in season. Chop into long quarters (so they don’t fall down your bbq!)
- Step 4 The potatoes will need to be par boiled before grilling (and the carrots too if you don’t want them to have too much crunch). Place in pot with boiling water for 5 minutes and they will be ready for the grill.
- Step 5 Once your veg are nicely charred and cooked, toss with as much of the pesto as you wish and serve!
I like how you take a few simple ingredients and quickly transform it into something that looks fancy and elegant. Nice job!