Pesto and Egg Potato Salad

I have shelves full of cookbooks, but a special favorite must be Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. A delightful and thoughtful gift from my dear friend Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook. Completely vegetarian, these innovative recipes are accompanied by drop-dead gorgeous photos. It is one of those treasures that travels to the kitchen and back to the coffee table for browsing and reading. Stunning photographs, innovative recipes, informative, and a must-have for vegetarian cooks. A pure pleasure to have access to this astounding book.

The author tells us he has divided the chapters in "a quite unsystematic way". Beginning with one of his favorite ingredients, he elaborates on a dish and enhances it. Though not a vegetarian himself, he is a master in his kitchen. Root vegetables, mushrooms, onions, squash, peppers, brassicas, eggplant, greens, tomatoes, pulses, grains, pasta and fruit and cheese and some most tempting egg dishes. I have bookmarked so many and can't wait to try more of these creative and nourishing recipes.

Pesto and Egg Potato Salad

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes From London's Ottolenghi Published on September 18, 2011 A fresh and refreshing late summer potato salad tossed with homemade pesto and topped with hardboiled eggs Print this recipe Ingredients: 6 large eggs 2 pounds baby potatoes 1/3 cup pine nuts 1 cup frozen peas 1 cup fresh basil leaves generous 1/2 cup fresh parsley 2/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1 cup good quality olive oil 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup fresh mint, finely chopped sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste Instructions: Place the eggs in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 10 - 15 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water. Peel and set aside. Roast the potatoes in a 400° oven until fork tender. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 5 - 10 minutes or until the pine nuts are golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside. At the same time, boil the peas in a small saucepan of water for a few minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside. In a food processor, pulse together the basil, most of the parsley (reserve a little for garnish), pine nuts, Parmesan and garlic. Gradually add the olive oil until you have a fairly thick paste, adding enough oil to achieve your desired consistency. Transfer to a large bowl. When the potatoes are done and cool enough to handle, cut them in half and add to the bowl with the pesto, along with the vinegar, peas and mint. Toss and season with salt and pepper. Cut the eggs in half and gently fold into the salad and garnish with the remaining parsley. Makes 6 servings

More potato recipes you may enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Tamarind Potatoes
Cheese Potato Puff with Dried Mushrooms
Mixed Vegetable Curry - Sabzi Bhaji
Mexican-Style Potato Salad With Avocado and Jalapeño

On the top of the reading stack: The Siberian Curse by Fiona Hill

Audio Accompaniment: Andreas Tilliander