Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto

Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto is beautifully bright, fresh and creamy. Ideal as a drizzle over grilled meat or roasted veggies.

overhead shot of a bowl of Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto

My season of revisiting classic recipes from the blog continues with this Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto. I have no doubt that this pesto completely passed you by even if you have been reading my witterings here from its early incarnations. Remember Stroud Green Larder? Yes, that was my original name for my business when I began it five years ago which fitted well with my market stall which was based in Stroud Green, North London but alienated all my blog followers, especially those to whom Stroud Green was a pretty random name. I’m not even sure the majority of Londoners necessarily know of Stroud Green, the little stretch between Finsbury Park and Crouch End.

overhead shot of ingredients of Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto in the mixer

Sometimes when I’m feeling especially reflective I wonder if From The Larder is even the best choice of name, a name which I really fought to get, especially since my market stall is focused more on the cake side of things. Although I can’t let myself go too far down that road since I’ve come this far with it and I’m not about to change everything again, it was challenging enough changing the name of my blog and business the first time.

overhead shot of ingredients of Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto in the mixer

So, this Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto, if you’re still with me, was originally developed as an accompaniment to a roasted butternut squash mash recipe where this pesto was drizzled liberally over the top. That dish was out of this world but I could never get the photographs right, it looked like some big old gory mess. Then this pesto soon broke out into a life of its own in my kitchen as I started to accompany it with everything. Drizzled over lamb chops, roasted potatoes or used as the base in this Simple Brown Rice Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette. It became one of my weeknight mainstays and yet was buried within my blog in unsightly photos and an early post which was largely ignored.

overhead shot of ingredients of Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto in the mixer

Therefore I am pretty sure I am introducing this Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto as if it were the first time. It is a bright and fresh pesto with so many layers of flavour. The feta and pistachio give a fresh creaminess and sweet savouriness to the proceedings whilst the mint provides lovely bite with a zing of lemon to bring everything into harmony. I make it with the best feta I can find, there is a great feta and olive guy at Ally Pally farmers’ market, and fresh garden mint.

side shot of a bowl of Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto

overhead shot of a bowl of Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto
Print Recipe

Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto

Feta Pistachio Mint Pesto is beautifully bright, fresh and creamy. Ideal as a drizzle over grilled meat or roasted veggies.
Prep Time10 mins
Total Time10 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 336kcal
Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

  • 80 g shelled roasted salted pistachios
  • 30 g fresh mint* leaves removed from stalks
  • 15 g parsley including stalks
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 80 g feta
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • black pepper
  • 150 ml extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Place the pistachios in a food processor and blitz until finely ground.
  • Add the mint, parsley and garlic and blitz again until chopped very finely.
  • Scoop the feta into the food processor, squeeze in the lemon, and grind in some black pepper then whizz up again so that all the ingredients come together to form a thick paste.
  • Then with the food processor still on, stream in the olive oil slowly so that it incorporates into the paste and forms a smooth pesto.

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 535IU | Vitamin C: 5.9mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 1.2mg

SHOP THE RECIPE

I would be nowhere without my Magimix 4200XL Food Processor – Satin which I bought when I was so jealous of everyone making their own houmous and pestos. That was easily over ten years ago and I use it nearly every day for all manner of kitchen jobs like whipping up dips, nut butters and flours, making breadcrumbs and of course for houmous and pesto. The Magixmix is an impressive piece of kit which even survived being dropped when we moved into our house (although it did have to have the motor replaced but that wasn’t too expensive). I put all the attachments in the dishwasher and they come out brilliantly clean but it also gives just great results. I love my Magimix and along with my Kitchenaid is the piece of equipment I use most often in my kitchen.

The links above are affiliate links so if you decide to buy anything using the links given then I will get a small commission from Amazon at no cost to you. To learn more about how the data processing works when using these Amazon affiliate links then please visit my privacy policy page.

If you like this recipe then you may like…

Simple Brown Rice Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette

bowl of rice salad ingredients with lemon squeezer, vinaigrette and tomatoes in background

Tahini Turmeric Dressing

Tahini Turmeric Dressing

Homemade Smoky Fajita Seasoning Paste

Homemade Smoky Fajita Seasoning Paste

Filed Under: Condiments, Pickles and Sauces Tagged With: , , ,

Watermelon Mint Granita

This easy no-sugar Watermelon and Mint Granita is the ultimate heat quencher. This icy summer treat is light and refreshing and completely sugar-free.

A glass of Watermelon Mint Granita on a table in front of plants

This is not so much a recipe but an idea on how to keep cool during these times when your house has turned into a hotbox and the outside air is muggy and unrelenting. I have never been one for the summer months, they stretch out endlessly with little respite between May and September. Days when you are free to enjoy the sun are interrupted by magnificent thunderstorms and although I am not commuting into central London at the moment I am only too familiar with the unpleasant experience of sweltering temperatures, no air conditioning and thousands of fellow passengers jammed up against you on the Piccadilly line.

Glasses of Watermelon Mint Granita on a table in front of plants

In our humid house the nights have been terribly uncomfortable lately and sleep has been infrequent with the electric fan constantly jarring any slumber. During the day I have become accustomed to lugging said fan with me from room to room and kitchen prep has been made challenging with its overbearing gustiness spraying caster sugar sandstorms across the floor.

Cubes of watermelon

So, suffice to say I never champion these heat waves as much as I’m supposed to. At the moment I am desperate to find ways to chill out, I am not so easily sated as the puppy is by dancing in the stream of the garden hose; but that is where this no-sugar Watermelon Mint Granita comes in. There is something so refreshing about sweet luscious watermelons anyway, then when it is jazzed up with a bit of garden mint the flavour sparkles. There is absolutely no need for sugar in this recipe as the watermelons are so rich and sweet this time of year that on these hot sticky days the simple fruit is all you need.

Watermelon Mint Granita in the blender

There is no more effort to this than simply blitzing the fruit and mint in the blender and popping the juice in the freezer. Although for such a casual recipe you do need to hang about the freezer for a couple of hours, giving it nudge every so often to break up the icy crystals during the freeze. It’s incredibly worthwhile though as the results instantly temper any inner heat and it’s sweetly moreish to boot. If you don’t want to eat it straightaway then once it has reached the right consistency you can just keep it in the freezer, but it will need to stand for about 10-15 minutes out of the freezer to become loose enough to portion out, unless you have an ice pick knocking around to help you out.

A tray of Watermelon Mint Granita

I have to say though, the one thing I do appreciate about the summertime is the amount of daylight we have. The ability to lounge in the garden all evening long seems so luxurious and when this time of day comes I add a slug of rum to transform my granita into a proper grown up slush puppy; a perfect way to usher in the hot and hazy nights.

A glass of Watermelon Mint Granita on a table in front of plants

A glass of Watermelon Mint Granita on a table in front of plants
Print Recipe

Watermelon Mint Granita

Easy no-sugar Watermelon and Mint Granita is the ultimate heat quencher. This icy summer treat is light and refreshing and completely sugar-free.
Prep Time15 mins
Total Time2 hrs 15 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 56kcal
Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg watermelon
  • Small handful of fresh mint leaves

Instructions

  • Remove the seeds from the watermelon and then blitz the flesh in a blender.
  • Add the mint leaves and blend again.
  • Pour the juice into a deep baking tray.
  • Place into the freezer for 40 minutes, then remove it and with a fork break up all the ice crystals.
  • Place back into the freezer for 30 minutes and once again, remove and break up the ice crystals with a fork.
  • Repeat this a further 3-4 times until the watermelon has formed easy to move sweet icy snow.

Nutrition

Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1065IU | Vitamin C: 15.2mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.5mg

SHOP THE RECIPE

To blend up the watermelon and mint in the recipe I used my trusty Vitamix® Pro750 Food Blender, Copper UK Model. It’s one of my most favourite kitchen appliances and I use it almost daily. This blender is amazing! I loved the Kitchenaid blender I had before but my Vitamix produces the smoothest smoothies, most cohesive sauces and fantastic soups. I have been using it most frequently at the moment for making my iced matcha lattes and I now could not be without it. Okay, it isn’t cheap but if you have the budget for it and you are looking to be really spoilt then I really recommend it. Plus I love the colour!!

Some of the links above are affiliate links so if you decide to buy anything using the links then I will get a small commission from Amazon at no cost to you. To learn more about how the data processing works when using these Amazon affiliate links then please visit my privacy policy page.

If you liked this recipe then you may like…

Vegan Mango Lime Fro-Yo

Vegan Mango Lime Fro-Yo

Filed Under: Ice Cream and Ices Tagged With: , , , , ,

Butter Mint Ice Cream

Butter Mint Ice Cream is the summer incarnation of buttery Murray Mints. Sweet, creamy and caramelly and infused with fresh mint.

Butter Mint Ice Cream

My husband is obsessed with car sweets, the kind that come in a metal tin drowned in icing sugar which you can buy from petrol stations.  We always seem to have a smorgasbord of different flavours spilling out of the glove compartment every time you go to retrieve the sat nav.  They are not so bad when they have just been bought, the sweets bounce around happily in the icing sugar, cheerily rattling against the metal.  However, if the sweets have had the misfortune to have endured a sweltering summer stuck in their hot tin, which they inevitably always do, then the icing sugar melts into a glue, clamping the sweets into a concrete ball.  If you are brave enough to tackle them at this stage you will have to prise one from the sickly grasp of its brethren, resulting in sticky fingers and sticky car.

These sweets are not worth the effort in my opinion and if you even succeed in wrestling one from the tin then they are usually so sweet anyway they make your mouth burn.  But I am not one for sweets, it’s sugar for sugar’s sake and I can get much more enjoyment from a biscuit.

Or, mints and toffees, which can hardly be classed as sweets can they?  Mints are refreshing and toffees are too delicious to pigeon hole.  So for obvious reasons when my husband is thoughtfully choosing his travel sweets I help him out by bunging a packet of  Murray Mints down on the counter, the best of both worlds.  They are much more sensible, much more yummy and they are in a packet and not a tin so you don’t get the painful clanging of the sweets bashing around each other as you fly over pot holes.  The only issue is that they are individually wrapped, great for the melting issue but not so great in making the car not look like a dustbin, as wrappers are discarded willy nilly with empty promises that they will be gathered up and thrown away at a later date.

Butter Mint Ice Cream

Fresh mint ice cream is a biggie in our house and I always take pleasure once a year of making it with the apple mint which we grow in our garden.  For some reason I can usually only make the crop of mint grow once so as soon as I’ve picked it, the herb withers away, only to rally round the next summer in time for my ice cream again.  Apple mint has a slightly furry leaf so you can tell it apart from regular garden mint but you can use either, or a mixture as I sometimes do if I don’t have enough apple mint.  This year I thought I would spruce up my mint ice cream and having had such success with David Lebovitz’s Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream in the past, I couldn’t resist adapting the recipe conjure up the perfect butteriness of a Murray Mint.

The mint nestled into this recipe perfectly, it’s at once refreshing but also comforting and incredibly moreish.  The butter caramel enriches the mint and smoothes out the zingy edges.  It’s also a very reliable recipe, I have made it a few times and it hasn’t once succumbed to icy crystals in the freezer.  It is a softer set ice cream so you don’t have to wait impatiently for the ice cream to come up to scooping temperature.  If you are suffering in this heatwave, you can dive into the freezer and in seconds be sticking a teaspoon straight into the tub with indulgence for the ideal cool down.  If only they could wrap this ice cream up for long summer journeys down the motorway and sell it at petrol stations, then I too would be obsessed with travel sweets.

Butter Mint Ice Cream

A bowl of Butter Mint Ice Cream in front of some mint leaves
Print Recipe

Butter Mint Ice Cream

Butter Mint Ice Cream is the summer incarnation of buttery Murray Mints. Sweet, creamy and caramelly and infused with fresh mint.
Prep Time40 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 439kcal
Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

  • 75 g fresh mint leaves including stalks
  • 350 ml double cream
  • 600 ml whole milk
  • 300 g sugar
  • 60 g salted butter
  • 5 egg yolks
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Infuse the fresh mint by pouring the milk and cream into two separate saucepans. Split the mint between the two and heat both until just below boiling point. Leave to cool for a couple of hours, then strain and discard the mint leaves from both saucepans. Measure out 250ml of double cream and 500ml whole milk as those are the quantities you will be working with. If there is any leftover you can save for another use or discard.
  • Fill your kitchen sink halfway up with water and pour in a lot of ice until freezing. Place a large mixing bowl into the water, so it comes halfway up the sides then pour half of the minted milk into the mixing bowl. Set a sieve over the top.
  • Spread the sugar in a large saucepan in an even layer. Heat it up until the edges begin to melt, fold it into the centre of the sugar carefully, stirring until it’s all dissolved. Carry on cooking until the caramel begins to smoke then remove from the heat immediately.
  • Add the butter and a pinch of salt until the butter has melted then stir in the cream. Don’t worry if the caramel seizes as it can melt again at the next stage.
  • Place back on the heat and stir until all the caramel has melted. Then stir in the second half of the milk gradually.
  • Whisk the yolks in a bowl, then whisk in some of the warm caramel so the eggs warm up, pour the eggs back into the caramel custard and heat. Stirring all the time until it begins to thicken.
  • Pour into the sieve set above the rest of the minted milk in the ice bath, add the vanilla extract and then whisk constantly until the temperature has cooled.
  • Pour the custard into a large jug, cover with cling film and place in the fridge overnight to chill.
  • The next day churn in your ice cream machine until the consistency of a thick milkshake. Decant into tubs and place in the freezer overnight before serving.

Notes

Adapted from David Lebovitz’s Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream
Yield 2 pints

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 206mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 1515IU | Vitamin C: 3.2mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 0.8mg

SHOP THE RECIPE

Many years ago Luke tried to persuade me than I didn’t need yet another space hogging kitchen gadget that I didn’t use so I bought my ice cream maker on the sly. I honestly haven’t looked back and I am always thrilled to reach down for it and put it to use. I chose the Magimix Le Glacier 1.1 Ltr Ice Cream Maker (White) on a whim but it’s been absolutely brilliant and was very reasonable so I heartily recommend it.

The links above are affiliate links which means if you decide you want to use either of these links to buy your ice cream maker then Amazon gives me a small commission at no cost to you whatsoever. I will only recommend products I use in my kitchen and love. It’s just a way for me to fund my shopping list for the blog so if you do click through then many thanks!! To learn more about how the data processing works when using these Amazon affiliate links then please visit my privacy policy page.

Filed Under: Ice Cream and Ices Tagged With: ,

Roasted Aubergine and Courgette with Sumac and Herbs

These easy Roasted Aubergine and Courgettes are sprinkled with sumac and tossed with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon before serving. A wonderful vegetable dish which can be eaten hot or as part of a salad buffet.

Roasted Aubergine and Courgette with Sumac and Herbs

This is an excellent standby week night meal which takes moments to prepare. The vegetables don’t even need peeling, just minimal chopping and then 30-40 minutes roasting in the oven.

Aubergines and courgettes are often misunderstood vegetables as they seem difficult to cook correctly. Sometimes with watery or oily results.

However this recipe is so easy and absolutely foolproof that aubergines and courgettes will become your absolute go-to veg choice when you are looking for a quick meal.

courgette and aubergine3

Why this recipe works so brilliantly

  • Minimal prep time so ideal if you need a hands off dinner.
  • The sumac, fresh herbs and lemon balance out the richness of the roasted vegetables.
  • You can make ahead as this dish is just as good eaten at room temperature.
  • Roasted Aubergine and Courgette can accompany a variety of different meals.

If you need more veggie side dishes then why not try:

English Mint Potato Salad
Garlicky Slow Braised Tomato and Aubergine
The Best Homemade Coleslaw

courgette and aubergine

Do you need to salt aubergines?

Yes and no. Years ago aubergines were much more bitter so they required salting to make them more palatable. The bitterness has been bred out of them now though so there is no more need to salt for that purpose. However, aubergines do soak up a lot of oil when cooking so salting them prior to cooking helps the aubergine to absorb less oil.

I’m happy to report though that there is no need to salt the aubergines in this recipe. We are looking for speed here.

TIP:  If you feel the end result is too oily then you can pat the vegetables dry with clean kitchen paper before tossing with the herbs and lemon.

What is Sumac?

Sumac is popular in middle eastern cooking. It has a tart lemony flavour. Lovely sprinkled over salads, grilled meats or vegetables.

Here it adds a tanginess to the roasted vegetables, cutting through the richness of the olive oil.

How to Roast Aubergine and Courgette

There is minimal prep involved here.

  1. Cut each vegetable into 8 wedges, by slicing in half width ways, then cutting the halves length ways twice.
  2. Toss in the olive oil, sumac and salt and pepper.
  3. Roast for 30-40 minutes (depending on how large your vegetables were to begin with).
  4. Finally toss with the fresh herbs and lemon.

Roasted aubergine and courgette2

What to serve with Roasted Aubergine and Courgette

  • Lamb Kebabs
  • Roasted Chicken
  • Toss through with pasta for a vegan main dish
  • Serve drizzled with garlicky yoghurt
  • Take to a pot luck for a healthy veggie option

If you make this Roasted Aubergine and Courgette with Sumac and Herbs then please leave a comment below and/or give the recipe a rating. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own baking creation then I’d also love it if you’d share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.

Roasted Aubergine and Courgette with Sumac and Herbs in a baking tray with a wedge of lemon
Print Recipe

Roasted Aubergine and Courgette with Sumac and Herbs

These easy Roasted Aubergine and Courgettes are sprinkled with sumac and tossed with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon before serving. A wonderful vegetable dish which can be eaten hot or as part of a salad buffet.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 210kcal
Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

  • 2 aubergines
  • 2 courgettes
  • 60 ml olive oil
  • ¾ teaspoon sumac
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 10 g mint leaves roughly chopped
  • 10 g coriander leaves roughly chopped
  • 10 g parsley leaves roughly chopped
  • Wedge of lemon

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4.
  • Prepare the courgette and aubergine by slicing off the stems. Cut each one in half width ways. Halve each again lengthways and then cut into 16 wedges in total.
  • Place the wedges on a baking tray then toss with the olive oil, sumac and salt and pepper.
  • Roast for 30-40 minutes, checking halfway through to give a good mix around.
  • Once the aubergine and courgette are soft, lightly browned and slightly crispy at the corners then remove from the oven.
  • Sprinkle over the fresh herbs, mixing together with a squeeze of lemon.

Notes

  • Cut aubergine browns quickly so don’t leave it hanging around the kitchen after you have turned it into wedges.
  • You can enjoy this dish hot from the oven or cooled and served at room temperature.
  • Lovely served with grilled lamb or chicken or tossed through pasta for a vegan option.

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 821mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 734IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg

Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in 2014, but was updated in August of 2019 to make the recipe instructions clearer as well as nutritional information and expert tips.

Filed Under: Side Dishes and Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,