Spring veg with coriander-mint pesto
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Kris Kirkham
Spring veg with coriander-mint pesto
A fresh, zingy pesto tossed through seasonal vegetables lifts them into another realm.
Recipe by chef Kevin Usher
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
300Kcal
Fat
17gr
Saturates
3gr
Carbs
26gr
Sugars
7gr
Fibre
7gr
Protein
7gr
Salt
0.1gr
Ingredients
- 200g fine green beans, trimmed
- 200g purple sprouting or Tenderstem broccoli, trimmed and halved lengthways if thick
- 750g Jersey Royals
- 350g bunched carrots, trimmed and scrubbed
For pesto
- 1 x 30g pack coriander
- ½ x 30g pack mint
- 50g cashews
- 1 or 2 garlic cloves, to taste
- juice of 1 lemon
- 100ml olive oil
Step by step
Get ahead
The green veg can be blanched and refreshed the day before, then chilled, ready to reheat in the final step of the recipe. The pesto keeps for up to 1 week in the fridge
- To make the pesto, roughly chop the coriander and mint and add to a blender with the cashews, garlic and lemon juice. Pulse to chop together, then gradually blend in the oil until you have a fairly smooth, spoonable paste. Season to taste; it needs quite a bit of salt.
- Cook the beans in boiling water for 4-5 minutes, then lift out to a colander using a draining spoon or tongs; refresh under cold running water then add to a bowl of iced water. Repeat the cook- refresh-ice process for the broccoli, cooking it for 2 minutes. Drain the blanched vegetables well, and store in the fridge until almost ready to serve (see ‘Get ahead’, opposite, if preparing in advance).
- About 20 minutes before serving, bring a very large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Halve the carrots lengthways, then add to the potatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes until tender. Add the blanched green veg to heat through for 1-2 minutes, then drain all the vegetables well. Toss together with half of the pesto and serve in a warmed dish. Serve the rest of the pesto with the lamb, instead of mint sauce.
