Add as much Parmesan as you can afford – it can never really be too much! For added protein, serve topped with sliced chicken breast. 

Green risotto with cheap-n-cheerful pesto

Serves 4 

Ingredients

300g baby marrow
3 Tbsp (45ml) olive oil blend
Salt and milled pepper
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 sprigs thyme (optional)
1½ cups (300g) Arborio or risotto rice
1½ cups dry white wine
4½ cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
⅓ cup grated Grana Padano (any hard cheese works well, too)
Lemon juice, to taste
½ cup defrosted peas
⅓ cup green pumpkin seed pesto

Method

1.  Slice baby marrow into 3cm chunks.
2.  Heat half the oil over high heat in a medium-large pot. Sauté baby marrow, stirring regularly until lightly browned and tender, about 3 minutes. Season, remove and set aside.
3.  Heat remaining oil over medium-low heat. Sweat the onions gently for 5 minutes, or until translucent and soft, not browned.
4.  Add garlic, thyme and rice, then increase heat to medium-high and fry until rice smells nutty, about 3 minutes. 
5.  Pour in wine and cook, stirring continuously until almost completely reduced – about 4 minutes. Season. 
6.  Add stock ½ cup at a time, stirring well until almost all the liquid has reduced. (Your bubbles will be many and small in the beginning and will gradually become fewer and larger.) 
7.  Once all the liquid has been added and rice is coated in a thick, glossy sauce, add cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
8.  Stir through baby marrows, peas and pesto. 

Good idea

Serve with golden brown seared and sliced chicken breast to bulk up the protein in this meal. You can also swap ¼ – ½ of the risotto rice with barley for a higher fibre meal. 

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Farm-style white bread

The post Green risotto with cheap-n-cheerful pesto appeared first on MyKitchen.

Get a head start to your week by planning your meals in advance and getting more value for your buck with this delectable pesto meal 

3 ways with pesto  

• Stir through couscous, rice or bulgar wheat, add roasted or fresh veggies and top with so boiled eggs. 
• Rub chicken pieces or fillets with pesto and oven bake until golden and delicious. Serve with a side of your choice. 
• Lather onto bread, top with ham, cheese, lettuce and tomato and toast in a hot pan for a quick lunch.

Homemade pesto 

Makes 1 cup 

Freeze the pesto in ice cubes and it will last for up to 6 months.  

Ingredients 

½ packet almonds 3 cloves garlic 
Pinch of salt 
1 punnet fresh parsley or basil
1 punnet fresh coriander or thyme 
½ punnet fresh rocket 
1/3 cup olive oil 
¼ cup grated hard cheese 
1 lemon, zested and juiced 
Milled black pepper 

Method 

1. Toast nuts in a dry pan for about 2 minutes or until fragrant and golden. 
2. Blitz garlic, nuts and a pinch of salt.
3. Add herbs and continue until a paste forms. 
4. Slowly pour in the oil while mixing until incorporated. 
5. Stir through cheese, lemon zest and juice and pepper. 
6. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Words by: Chad January
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine 

The post Tasty homemade pesto recipe appeared first on MyKitchen.

Waste not, want not! This is wonderfully creative option to serve your guests as a starter or a side option. You can leave the carrot salad slightly warm for the colder months and save when you buy your carrots with their tops still attached from your local market. And if you have some leftover, you can add them to your salad as leafy greens. They are especially delicious sautéed with olive oil and garlic.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 40 mins

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch carrots
¾ cup olive oil
½ tsp cumin seeds, crushed
50g flaked almonds
50g macadamias
100g sunflower seeds
40g Parmesan, grated
15g basil, plus extra to garnish
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
Salt and black pepper

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Trim the tops off the carrots. Wash well and set aside to use in the pesto. Peel the carrots and cut in half.
3. Toss the carrots with 2 tbsp oil and the cumin seeds. Place on a baking tray and cook for 20–25 minutes, until slightly charred. Remove and let cool.
4. Roast the nuts in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, until slightly brown.
5. In a food processor, blitz 1 cup of carrot tops, remaining oil, sunflower seeds, Parmesan, basil and garlic to form a coarse paste. Season and add a little more oil if needed to reach the desired consistency.
6. Mix the cooled roast carrots and the nuts. Serve the pesto on the side or drizzle it over. Garnish with the  extra basil.

The post Carrot salad and carrot-top pesto appeared first on MyKitchen.