Deconstructed Pesto Salad

  1. In a small bowl, lightly mash the garlic a few times with the back of a fork, and add the olive oil. Set the bowl aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Toast the walnuts on the top shelf of the oven for about three minutes, more or less, depending on your oven. Check them after two minutes. Watch very carefully, lest they burn. Once you remove the toasted nuts from the oven, put them immediately into a bowl, to prevent further cooking.
  3. Rinse and dry the lettuce and arugula and put it in the salad bowl with the tomatoes (or dried cranberries or cherries).
  4. Mash the anchovy with the salt, using the back of a small fork. Put the anchovy (or the paste and the salt, if you're not using a whole anchovy) into a small jar with a lid; add the lemon juice, lime juice, zest, chopped mint, two large basil leaves, which have been finely chopped, and the honey. Add one tablespoon of cold water.
  5. Remove the garlic from the olive oil and add the oil to the anchovy and lemon mixture. Cover and shake the bottle well. (If you like raw garlic, finely mince and add it to the dressing at this point.) Taste and add more salt or honey, if you think the dressing needs either.
  6. Roll ten or twelve basil leaves together, lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/8 inch; repeat until you've cut all of the remaining basil leaves. Set aside.
  7. About ten minutes before you plan to serve the salad, dress it lightly with the contents of the jar. You may not need all of it, depending on how much lettuce you have, and how heavily you like your salads dressed. Try to err on the side of under-dressing this one, at least to start. Do not add the basil yet, please.
  8. Sprinkle the grated cheese on the dressed greens and toss lightly again.
  9. Immediately before serving, add the walnuts, the basil and some freshly grated black pepper. Toss lightly.
  10. Enjoy!! ;o)

olive oil, clove of garlic, anchovy, lemon juice, lime juice, ubc, mint leaves, basil, drops of honey, salt, ube, pecorino romano, red, handful of wild rocket, if, black pepper

Taken from food52.com/recipes/5553-deconstructed-pesto-salad (may not work)

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