Orzo & Broccoli Pesto Salad

This is another vegetarian meal from last month, one that is actually surprisingly filling. Although we ate it in April, the pesto/salad would be a nice thing to make when it's unbearably hot out in the summer, if you don't want to have to fiddle with the oven, or spend too much time over the stove. Making any kind of pesto is always messy business, but you can always leave the cleanup for a little later, after you've sat down to enjoy the nice, cool meal you've created.

I served the pesto/salad with freshly-baked Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, using the same recipe as these muffins from February, but in loaf form.

(And yes, I am well aware of the fact that I need new pretty plates.)





ORZO & BROCCOLI PESTO SALAD
adapted from Sprouted Kitchen, originally from Heidi Swanson's new cookbook

Ingredients

1 cup whole grain orzo
5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets
2 2loves of garlic
2/3 cup pinenuts or walnuts, toasted
1/3 (freshly grated) Parmesan cheese
juice of one lemon
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup creme fraiche*
grated zest of one lemon
1 large avocado, sliced


Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously. Add the orzo and cook according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.

2. In the meantime, cook the broccoli. Bring about a cup of water to a boil in a large pot with a pinch of salt. Stir in the broccoli, put the lid on and cook for one to two minutes, just long enough to take the edge off. Quickly drain the broccoli, and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well.

3. To make the pesto, combine 2 cups of the cooked broccoli, the garlic, most of the nuts, parmesan, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 Tbsp. of the lemon juice and pulse in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and creme fraiche and pulse until smooth.

4. Toss the orzo, remaining cooked broccoli florets, about 2/3 of the pesto and the lemon zest. Taste it and add what you like – more lemon, salt, the rest of the pesto. Fold in the avocado and top with the remaining nuts and a bit of extra parmesan if you prefer.

Serves six.


* Creme fraiche is basically fancy sour cream, and to be honest, I prefer to taste of sour cream. You can't taste it so much in this recipe, but if it's expensive, you're okay with sour cream. Light sour cream would probably taste good.