A dose of leafy greens is essential for a healthy diet, but often they’re left to wilt in the background. Take care of seasonal greens like kale, spinach and Swiss chard, and they’ll love you back.  

TREAT YOUR GREENS RIGHT

Packing power
Kale, spinach and Swiss chard provide different levels of vital vitamins. Swiss chard and spinach are high in vitamin A and K, but spinach is much higher in calcium whereas Swiss chard is rich in vitamin C. Kale has lower levels of vitamins A and K, but it hits it out of the park when it comes to vitamin C. 

In the kitchen
When it comes to using these vegetables in your cooking, there are various methods to bring out their flavour, texture and enjoyment. 

Washing 
Take care to not crush the leaves as you wash them. Add to a bowl of cold water and set aside for a few minutes. The dirt should sink to the bottom of the bowl. From there, pick out your greens and get cooking. 

Cooking 

Raw  

– Spinach provides a crisp canvas for other ingredients in a salad. Try these combos:
– Sliced apple, crumbled feta and chopped walnuts
– Sliced red onion, avocado, balsamic vinegar and pine nuts
– Grilled chicken, Greek yoghurt, olives and tomatoes 

Wilt 
Place your chopped leafy green in a dry pan over gentle heat. Leave to cook for about 30 seconds before removing. When adding these veggies to soups or stews, the heat of the
dish will wilt the leaves for you, so add them just before serving (once the heat is turned off).  

Bake 
Tear kale into small pieces, removing the tough stem in the process. Place on an oven tray, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and bake at 180°C for 8-10 minutes. The kale should be crispy and delicate. Enjoy as a snack or side to a main meal. 

Sauté and steam 
Leafy veg can look quite sad once they’ve cooked! But there’s hope: it’s what you cook them with that will save the day and the dish.  

When working with Swiss chard, cut the leaves away from the tough stem. Roll leaves up and chop finely. Add a generous glug of oil to the hot pan and throw in 1 minced garlic glove. If you like, add the stems and fry for a few minutes until lightly caramelised before adding a splash of water and the leaves. Cover with a lid and steam until wilted, then remove and decant into a serving bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, season and serve. 

Season 
Drizzle with a vinaigrette or add lemon zest, salt and pepper or chilli flakes. Massage dressing into the leaves for a minute, then finish off with grated Parmesan and pumpkin or sunflower seeds. 

Storing 
If you’re packing your greens away before using them, make sure to first discard any brown leaves, wash them thoroughly, then pack them into a sealed container or Ziploc bag lined with kitchen towel. This will absorb moisture and retain the freshness. 

Green scene risotto 

Serves 3-4  •  TOTAL Time 1 HR 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil 
1 onion, chopped
2 leeks, washed and sliced (optional) 
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves 
Handful fresh thyme 
1 cup arborio rice  
1/3 cup white wine (optional)   
3 cups warm chicken or vegetable stock  
Salt and milled black pepper 
½ cup cream 
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to garnish 
125g frozen peas, cooked 
100g baby spinach 
Handful fresh mint 
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 packet (125g) sugar snap peas, blanched
Handful fresh pea shoots 

Method

1. Heat oil in a large deep pan.
2. Fry onion, leeks and garlic for 3-5 minutes.
3. Add bay leaves, thyme and rice. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
4. Add wine (if using) and cook, while stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until liquid is almost evaporated.
5. Reduce heat to low.
6. Add  cup stock, allowing it to absorb before pouring in next  cup. 
7. Repeat this process while stirring continuously until all stock is added, about 15-20 minutes. 
8. Once all the stock is added, there should be a thick, creamy sauce covering the rice. It should be cooked through and plump, but still have a bite.
9. Discard bay leaves and thyme.
10. Season risotto and stir through cream and Parmesan.
11. Add peas, spinach, lemon juice, zest, mint and chilli to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Season well.
12. Stir mixture into risotto, garnish with sugar snap peas and fresh pea shoots. Serve immediately.

Chef’s Tip: Arborio rice is a short-grain rice ideal for making risottos. It easily absorbs flavour, plumps up from the slow cooking and releases enough starch to create that creamy texture. 

Green goddess burgers 

Serves 4  •  TOTAL Time 40 MIN 

Ingredients

FOR THE PATTIES 

1 cup frozen peas  
2 cups kale, touch stems removed, shredded 
¼ head (100g) broccoli, cut into florets 
½ can (410g) butter beans, drained
½ celery stalk, finely chopped
½ onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed 
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 
3/4 cup oats  
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped 
2 tsp soy sauce  
Salt and milled black pepper 

TO SERVE 

4 brown rolls
1 avocado, sliced
¼ cup hummus  
Handful cherry tomatoes 
Lettuce leaves and sprouts 

Method

1. Blanch green vegetables (except celery) in salted boiling water for a minute, then plunge into a bowl of ice water to refresh. Drain well.
2. Add vegetables and beans to food processor and pulse until ground.
3. Fry celery, onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp oil for 5 minutes. Combine with ground vegetables.
4. Mix in oats, basil, soy sauce and seasoning. 
5. Shape mixture into 4 patties. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.
6. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a non-stick pan and cook patties for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden.
7. Halve rolls and toast in a warm pan. Drizzle with extra oil.
8. Serve patties on buns garnished with avocado, hummus, tomatoes and fresh greens.

Hake with kidney bean sauté 

Serves 4  •  TOTAL Time 30 MIN 

Ingredients

FOR THE SPINACH AND BASIL PESTO 

3 Tbsp pine nuts, almonds or pumpkin seeds, toasted
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Pinch of salt  
40g fresh basil leaves  
50g baby spinach leaves 
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lemon, juiced and zested
½ cup olive oil  

FOR THE FISH 

1½ cups (300g) dried white kidney beans, soaked and drained 
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 
4 fillets (600g) hake (or any sustainable white fish), skin on
Salt and milled black pepper 
1 onion, diced  
3 cloves garlic, crushed  
2 Tbsp butter  
250g cherry tomatoes  
1 packet (100g) baby spinach   

TO SERVE 

Grated Parmesan cheese 
Lemon juice 

Method

1. Combine pesto ingredients (except oil) in a food processor. Then add two tablespoons of olive oil and pulse until still chunky.
2. Drizzle with remaining oil while blending until smooth. Season and set aside.
3. Boil beans in a pot of salted water for 30-35 minutes. Drain well.
4. Heat olive oil in a pan. 
5. Pat fish dry and season generously.
6. Fry fish skin-side down for about 3-4 minutes. Flip over and fry for about 2-3 minutes. Remove and cover to keep warm. 
7. Add onion to pan and sauté until golden. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
8. Add butter, beans and tomatoes, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Season. 
9. Toss through spinach, remove from the heat and stir through ¾ of pesto.
10. Serve bean sauté topped with fish, extra pesto, Parmesan and lemon juice.

Chef’s Tip:  To prevent fish from sticking to the pan, thoroughly dry the fish using kitchen towel, then season with salt and pepper. Add a small splash of oil to a super-hot pan, then place
the fish skin-side down into a stainless-steel pan. It will take 2-3 minutes before the fish skin releases from the pan. If you feel any resistance when trying to flip the fish, leave it for a little longer before trying again. 

Spinach and feta quesadillas 

Serves 4  •  TOTAL Time 20 MIN 

Ingredients

½ packet (150g) Swiss chard, washed and shredded 
2 discs (100g each) feta, crumbled 
1 tsp chilli flakes 
Salt and milled black pepper 
6 flour tortillas 
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard   

FOR THE SALSA 

½ punnet (125g) cherry tomatoes, quartered 
1 Mediterranean cucumber, diced
1 Tbsp canola oil  
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice  
1 tsp chopped fresh mint 
1 tsp honey 

Method

1. Combine Swiss chard, feta and chilli flakes. Season well.
2. Place a tortilla onto a plate and spread with 1 Tbsp mustard.
3. Top with  spinach mixture, then with another tortilla.
4. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a chopping board and slice into 4 triangles.
5. Repeat with remaining spinach filling and tortillas. 
6. Combine salsa ingredients and season well.
7. Serve quesadillas topped with salsa.

Words by Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine 

The post 4 tasty ways to make leafy greens the hero of your meals appeared first on MyKitchen.

Editor Chad January dishes out heaps of heart-warming pies, topped with tips to perfect any kind of crust.  

Beef and Guinness pie 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 1 Hr 45 Min 

Ingredients

1kg beef shin or stewing beef  
Salt and milled black pepper  
Cake flour, for dusting 
2 Tbsp canola oil  
1 onion, chopped  
2 carrots, peeled and chopped 
2 stalks celery, sliced  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
Handful fresh thyme  
400g tinned chopped tomatoes  
440ml Guinness beer  
1 cup beef stock  
Handful fresh coriander, chopped 
400g puff pastry, defrosted  
1 egg, whisked  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Generously season beef and lightly dust with flour. 
3. Heat oil in large pot and brown beef in batches. Set aside. 
4. Add another glug of oil and sauté onion, carrots and celery for 3-5 minutes or until golden. 
5. Add garlic and thyme and fry for 1-2 minutes. 
6. Return beef to pot and pour in tomatoes, beer and stock. Cover and simmer for about an hour or until meat is tender. 
7. Stir through coriander and simmer for another 10-12 minutes. Season well. 
8. Roll pastry out on a floured surface to about 3mm thick. 
9. Place half the pastry into a greased round oven dish and prick the base with a fork. 
10. Blind bake pastry for 6-8 minutes and set aside. 
11. Pour filling into pie crust and cover with remaining pastry. 
12. Brush with egg and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Serve hot. 

TIME SAVER 
Skip the blind baking and spoon pie filling into small ovenproof ramekins and top with puff pastry. Brush with egg and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.  

Haddock, cheddar and potato pie 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 1 Hr 

Ingredients

500g smoked haddock  
Glug olive oil  
1 onion, chopped  
2 carrots, peeled and chopped  
2 cloves garlic, chopped  
½ cup cream  
½ cup vegetable stock  
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped  
1 lemon, zested and juiced  
Salt and milled black pepper  
6 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped 
½ cup sour cream  
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard  
2 Tbsp chives, parsley or coriander, chopped 
1 cup mature cheddar, grated  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Place haddock in a colander over a pot of simmering water, cover with a lid and steam for about 8-10 minutes or until cooked through. Flake fish, discard bones and set aside. 
3. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet; sauté onions and carrots until golden. 
4. Add garlic and fry for another minute or until fragrant. 
5. Pour in cream, vegetable stock and dill. Simmer for 5-6 minutes. 
6. Fold through haddock and mustard and simmer for another 3-5 minutes. 
7. Add lemon zest and juice, season and set aside in skillet. 
8. Boil potatoes for 6-8 minutes, or until cooked through, and drain. 
9. Mash potatoes until smooth and fold through sour cream, mustard, herbs and cheddar. 
10. Top haddock mixture with potato and level with the back of a spoon. 
11. Bake pie for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Serve hot. 

CHEF’S TIP 
Swap out haddock for hake, mackerel or tuna if you prefer.  

Butter chicken phyllo pastry pie 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 45-50 Min 

Ingredients

FOR THE MARINADE  

½ cup plain yoghurt  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
2 tsp grated fresh ginger  
1 Tbsp Garam Masala 
1 tsp turmeric  
1 tsp ground cumin  
1 tsp ground coriander  
1 tsp paprika  
½ tsp salt   

FOR THE BUTTER CHICKEN 

500g chicken breasts, cut into medium-sized chunks  
1 Tbsp canola oil  
3 Tbsp butter  
1 onion, chopped  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
1 tsp grated fresh ginger  
2 tsp Garam Masala 
1 tsp ground coriander  
1 tsp paprika  
1 Tbsp turmeric  
100g tomato paste 
1 tsp sugar  
1 can chopped tomatoes  
1 can coconut milk or cream 
3 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander  
Salt and milled black pepper  

FOR THE CRUST  

6-8 sheets phyllo pastry, defrosted  
Melted butter for brushing  
Fresh coriander, chopped for serving 
Plain yoghurt, for serving 

Method

1. Combine marinade ingredients and chicken in a bowl and set aside for an hour. 
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
3. Fry chicken in batches in a large pot or skillet for about 3-4 minutes. Don’t cook chicken all the way through. Reserve marinade and set aside.
4. Remove chicken and set aside. 
5. For the sauce, heat oil and butter in the same pan and sauté onions for 3-4 minutes. 
6. Add garlic and ginger and fry for 1-2 minutes. 
7. Stir through spices and cook for 2 minutes. Add a splash of water if needed. 
8. Add tomato paste and cook for a minute. Stir through sugar. 
9. Pour in tomatoes and coconut milk or cream. Simmer for 5 minutes. 
10. Add chicken and simmer for about 10 minutes. 
11. Stir through coriander and season. 
12. Pour butter chicken into a large ovenproof dish. 
13. Cut each sheet of phyllo pastry into four long strips. Fold each strip into a triangle shape to resemble a samoosa. 
14. Arrange pastry on top of butter chicken and brush with melted butter. 
15. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden. 
16. Serve with dollops of yoghurt and garnished with fresh coriander. 

LEVEL UP
Arrange 4-5 phyllo pastry sheets at the bottom of your pastry dish, brushing with butter between each layer. Blind bake for 6-8 minutes.  Then add in the butter chicken.  

Roasted vegetable pie with herbed cream cheese pastry 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 45 Min  [Plus 30 Min Chill Time] 

Ingredients

FOR THE PASTRY  

2 cups cake flour  
½ tsp salt  
½ cup butter, grated  
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, coriander or rosemary)  
230g medium fat cream cheese  
2 Tbsp water, if needed   

FOR THE FILLING  

1kg roasted vegetable mix  
Glug canola oil  
Salt and milled black pepper 
Handful fresh thyme or rosemary  
4 cloves garlic, sliced  
2 Tbsp sundried tomato pesto  
¼ cup canola oil  
1 egg, whisked  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Rub butter into flour using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. 
3. Mix through herbs and cream cheese with a wooden spoon until a smooth, soft dough is formed. Add a splash of water if dough is too dry. 
4. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes. 
5. Arrange vegetables in an ovenproof dish or deep roasting tray, taking care to spread them out evenly. 
6. Drizzle with oil, season, sprinkle with herbs and garlic. Roast for 15 minutes or until golden and slightly charred. 
7. Combine pesto and oil. 
8. Remove vegetables from oven and stir through pesto. Roast for another 6-8 minutes. 
9. Roll out pastry onto a lightly floured surface to about 3cm thick and shape according to your greased pie dish. Leave enough pastry to create a lid. 
10. Press pastry into pie dish, prick base with a fork and blind bake for 10 minutes. 
11. Remove vegetables from oven, season well and stir. Spoon vegetables into the blind-baked pie dish. 
12. Cut remaining pastry into large strips and arrange over filling to create a lattice. 
13. Brush with egg and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked through. Serve hot out of the oven.

Creamy chicken and kale pie with harissa sweet potato crust 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 1 Hr 

Ingredients

FOR THE FILLING  

500g chicken breast fillets 
2 Tbsp canola oil  
3 spring onions, sliced  
4 leeks, sliced  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
3 Tbsp butter  
2 Tbsp flour  
1 cup cream  
300g kale, roughly chopped  
Salt and milled black pepper  
3 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander or parsley  

FOR THE CRUST  

4-6 sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced  
2 Tbsp harissa paste  
1 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander  

Method

1. Place chicken into a large pot and fill with water to cover. 
2. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for about 15-20 minutes. 
3. Remove chicken and allow to cool before shredding. Reserve ¼ cup poaching liquid. 
4. Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onion and leeks for 5-6 minutes. 
5. Stir through garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. 
6. Add butter and, once melted, stir through flour until smooth.
7. Add poaching liquid and stir until smooth. Cook for 3-5 minutes. 
8. Pour in cream and simmer for 5 minutes. 
9. Fold in chicken, kale and herbs and season well. 
10. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
11. Spoon filling into an ovenproof pie dish or skillet pan. 
12. Toss sweet potato, harissa and coriander. Season well. 
13. Arrange sweet potato slices on top of filling in a spiral. 
14. Bake pie for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through and golden. Serve hot. 

CHEF’S TIP 
Swap kale for spinach or Swiss chard.  

Mini pork pies 

Serves 12 • Total Time 45-50 Min 

Ingredients

400g puff pastry, defrosted  
2 Tbsp canola oil  
1 onion, chopped  
2 cloves garlic, chopped  
500g pork bangers, casing removed 
1 tsp ground nutmeg  
2 tsp wholegrain or Dijon mustard 
Salt and milled black pepper  
1 egg, whisked  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Roll out pastry onto a lightly floured surface to about 3cm thick. 
3. Cut out 12 circles, larger than the cups of a 6-cup muffin tray. 
4. Grease your muffin tray and line each cup with pastry, taking care to leave some above the rim of the cup. Prick with a fork and chill in fridge for 15 minutes. Set aside remaining pastry circles. 
5. Blind bake pastry for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool. 
6. Heat oil in a large pan and sauté onions for 3-5 minutes. 
7. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Set aside to cool. 
8. Combine pork, nutmeg, mustard and cooled onions. Season well. 
9. Spoon filling into muffin cups and level with the back of a spoon. 
10. Cover filling with remaining pastry and crimp edges with excess pastry to enclose. 
11. Brush with egg and bake for about 30 minutes or until pastry is golden. 
12. Cool on a wire rack and serve hot or cold with dollops of mustard. 

The post Tips to perfect your heart-warming pies appeared first on MyKitchen.

English muffins are a breakfast classic, but sometimes we need a little protein, and some veggies, to keep us fuller for longer!

SERVES 2 // COOK TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
4 English muffins
2 cups kale, cooked
250 g bacon, grilled
4 eggs, poached
Salt and black pepper

METHOD
1. Cut the English muffins in half and fill each one with kale and bacon.
2. Carefully add a poached egg on top and sandwich closed.
3. Season with salt and cracked black pepper.

Freeze these savoury cheesy muffins with Peppadew, tomato and feta in airtight containers and defrost one when you feel like having a snack.

The post English muffins with bacon, egg and kale appeared first on MyKitchen.

Keen for a little twist on a well-known international snack? Then try our kale spanakopita recipe. You will never look back!

SERVES 6 // COOK TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the kale spanakopita
100 g baby potatoes
130 g kale (1 packet)
3 tbsp parsley, roughly chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
250 g phyllo pastry
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sesame seeds
For the sunflower mayo
1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked
100 ml olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tbsp apple-cider vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Water to dilute (±1 cup)

METHOD
For the kale spanakopita
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Bring the potatoes to a boil until cooked. Wilt the kale in salted water and pat dry. Once the potatoes are cooked and cooled, quarter them and add to the kale along with the spices.
2 .To assemble, layer 4 sheets of phyllo pastry, brushing each sheet with olive oil before adding the next one. Cut the sheets in half, lengthways. Spoon half the lling into each half of the pastry, season and roll snug like a sausage roll. Brush the top with olive oil, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 20–25 minutes until crisp.
For the sunflower mayo
1. Place the sun ower seeds, oil, garlic, vinegar and seasoning in a blender, blend until smooth. Use water to dilute the mayo if needed.
2. To serve, portion the spanakopita and serve with the mayo.

Want another international dish? Then try this Spanish fish casserole recipe!

The post Kale spanakopita with sunflower-seed mayo appeared first on MyKitchen.

They may look small, but these English muffins with bacon, egg and kale pack some powerful and nutritious ingredients perfect for starting the day!

SERVES 2 // COOKING TIME 10 min

INGREDIENTS
4 English muffins
2 cups kale, cooked
250 g bacon, grilled
4 eggs, poached

METHOD
1. Cut the English muffins in half and fill each one with kale and bacon.
2. Carefully add a poached egg on top and sandwich closed.
3. Season with salt and cracked black pepper.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

The post Assemble-and-go English muffins with bacon, egg and kale appeared first on MyKitchen.

It’s pesto madness! No matter your mood, we have the pesto recipes to suit your every desire. You can pair these yummy options with pizza, pasta, artisan bread, soups and sandwiches. So there really is no excuse not to try them all.

1. Radish pesto

MAKES 500 ml // COOKING TIME 5 min

INGREDIENTS
½ cup olive oil, plus extra to cover
50 g almonds
50 g Pecorino
15 g mint, stalks removed
2 bunches radishes
1 garlic clove, peeled
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper

METHOD
1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse to combine until a coarse paste is formed.
2. Place in a sterilised jar. Pour over just enough oil to cover the surface of the pesto. Seal and store in the fridge.

2. Roast tomato pesto

MAKES 500 ml // COOKING TIME 1 hour 40 min

INGREDIENTS
8 Roma tomatoes, halved
½ cup olive oil, plus extra to drizzle and cover
Salt and black pepper
100 g cashews, toasted
200 g marinated roast peppers, drained and roughly chopped
100 g Gruyère, finely grated

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Place the tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle generously with oil and season. Roast for 45 minutes, until cooked and slightly charred. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C and cook for 20 minutes to dehydrate the tomatoes. Take them out and leave to cool.
3. Place the cashews in a food processor and blitz until they turn into a fine powder. Add the roast tomatoes, peppers, cheese and ½ cup oil. Pulse to form a smooth paste.
4. Place in a sterilised jar. Pour over just enough oil to cover the surface of the pesto. Seal and store in the fridge

3. Classic basil pesto

MAKES 500 ml // cooking time 5 min

INGREDIENTS
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Salt and black pepper
80 g pine nuts, toasted
30 g basil, chopped
80 g Parmesan, finely grated
75 ml olive oil, plus extra to cover

METHOD
1. Grind the garlic and a pinch of salt with a mortar and pestle.
2. Add the pine nuts and basil and bash to a rough paste.
3. Stir in the Parmesan and olive oil, and season to taste.
4. Place in a sterilised jar. Pour over just enough oil to cover the surface of the pesto. Seal and store in the fridge

4. Kale pesto

MAKES 500 ml // cooking time 5 min

INGREDIENTS
115 ml olive oil, plus extra to cover
100 g kale
80 g macadamia nuts, toasted
80 g Parmesan, finely grated
3 garlic cloves, peeled
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper

METHOD

1. Place all the ingredients, plus ⅓ cup water, in a food processor. Pulse to combine until a coarse paste forms. Add more water if necessary. Season to taste.
2. Place in a sterilised jar. Pour over just enough oil to cover the surface of the pesto. Seal and store in the fridge

5. Grilled Brinjal Pesto

MAKES 500 ml // COOKING TIME 1 hour 10 min

INGREDIENTS
2 medium brinjals
50 g almonds
¼ cup olive oil, plus extra to cover
1 garlic clove, peeled
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp sumac
½ cup sesame seeds, toasted
Salt and black pepper

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 220°C.
2. Place the brinjals on a baking tray and prick a few times with a fork. Bake for 45–50 minutes until they are cooked through and the flesh is soft (the skin may be slightly blackened). Remove and leave to cool.
3. Peel the skin off.
4. Place all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until a coarse paste forms. Season to taste.
5. Place in a sterilised jar. Pour over just enough oil to cover the surface of the pesto. Seal and store in the fridge.

The post 5 pesto recipes you never knew you needed in your life appeared first on MyKitchen.