Serve this pesto pretty much any where you’d serve regular pesto.
Dollop on soups or salads. Use as a sauce for pan fried fish, chicken breasts or even steak.
My personal favourite is to team it with lamb…
Either lamb cutlets (see below) cooked until still rosy pink or slow roast lamb shoulder literally melting off the bone.
It’s also great to liven up some steamed green beans or peas.
Mint & Almond Pesto (with Chicken or Lamb)
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch mint
- 1 small clove garlic
- 3 handfuls almonds
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 small chicken breasts or 6-8 lamb cutlets
- 1 bag salad leaves
Instructions
- Remove mint leaves from stems. Puree mint leaves, garlic and almonds in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Add oil and a little lemon juice and mix by hand. Taste and season with salt, pepper and extra lemon if needed.
- Heat a frying pan or your BBQ on a medium high heat. Add lamb or chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Turn the lamb / chicken and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until you’re happy.
- To serve, divide cutlets / chicken between 2 plates and top with pesto and salad on the side.
Variations
summery – replace mint with basil. You can replace the almonds with pine nuts but I’m also a fan of cashews because they’re delicious and much more affordable.
nut-free – replace almonds with half soft breadcrumbs and half finely grated parmesan.
other herbs – flat leaf parsley, carrot tops, coriander (cilantro) are all possibilities. I’m also a fan of a little bit of sage or oregano combined with parsley.
garlic-free – sometimes I can’t be bothered with garlic and it’s still lovely but I do find it needs more salt and lemon to make up for that garlicky sharpness.
no food processor – just finely chop everything and stir together for a more rustic chunky pesto.
vegetarian – toss pesto through pasta or cooked / canned chickpeas/lentils or replace lamb with eggplant.
carb lovers / more substantial – serve with mashed, boiled, roast potatoes, couscous or quinoa or crusty bread.
more substantial (low carb) – extra lamb or almonds.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
mint – best to use for another meal. leaves can be frozen but will wilt when defrosted so not ideal. Alternatively make a mint oil by packing washed and dried leaves in a clean dry glass jar and covering with extra virgin olive oil use mint oil to serve with lamb, chicken or fish.
garlic – will keep for months in a dark pantry. I keep mine in a brown paper bag to avoid sprouting.
almonds / olive oil – keep them in the pantry.
lemon – whole lemon will keep wrapped in a plastic bag in the fridge for months.
lamb cutlets – freeze them.
Problem Solving Guide
bland – more salt. a squeeze of lemon.
meat dry / tough – a sign of overcooking. For now just be happy the pesto will hide this. Next time use a lower heat or check earlier.
no food processor – you can use a stick blender or just finely chop the herbs and nuts by hand and make a more chunky salsa. Using almond meal instead of whole nuts will make this easier.
Prepare Ahead
Your could but better when freshly made / cooked! Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or can be frozen.
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
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