Orzo Pasta with Broccoli Pesto & Fresh English Peas

Spring has sprung! You can feel it in the air, smell it in the blooming flowers, & see it at the markets & in the CSA boxes arriving with fresh crops of spring produce.

While I am typically a fall/winter lover, I’ve been craving the newness of spring. My palette has been craving it too. I am ready to bid farewell to roasted root vegetables, winter squash & rich starchy dishes, & make way for fresh flavors & bright green veggies like broccoli, peas, asparagus & artichokes (my favorite).

To celebrate the premiere weekend du Printemps, I was inspired to make a dish that exuded the essence of vernal flavors. Taking further inspiration from a recipe in the lovely Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Every Day, I came up with this creation - wonderfully fresh & springy orzo pasta with an herbaceous broccoli pesto & tender spring peas.

My CSA has been providing an abundance of broccoli & while I am not complaining (I love broccoli way more than cabbage, so keep it coming!), I was yearning for a new way to enjoy it. Lately, I’ve been tossing it in the steamer & serving it over quinoa with a generous drizzle of Lemon Cashew Cream Sauce, which I ended up incorporating into this dish in place of Heidi’s addition of creme fraiche (rather than adding it to the pesto, as Heidi does, I added it separately). I adore pesto & have made a raw broccoli-based version in the past. This time, I lightly steamed the broccoli, then pulsed it in the food processor with pine nuts, garlic, & lemon juice, fruity extra virgin olive oil, & generous handfuls of basil & mint. The result was a vibrant green pesto full of piquant garlic, lemony zest & herbaceous zing.

Here is a guilty admission. Trader Joe's has a bag of fresh English peas that are a great cheater replacement for peas in the pod. They are pre-shucked, so all you have to do is cook them. I was introduced to them at a vegan cooking class last week, & now I am dreaming up how I can use them in everything! They worked perfectly in my recipe, adding a wonderful pop of texture & sweet burst of flavor to the dish.

ORZO PASTA WITH BROCCOLI PESTO & FRESH ENGLISH PEAS

Author: Melissa, Honey Bee Vegan (Inspired by Heidi Swanson)

Recipe Type: Main Dish, Pasta

Cuisine: Vegan

Serves:4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup orzo

• 1 large broccoli crown (yields 2 cups)

• Small handful of fresh basil

• Small handful of mint leaves

• 1 small lemon, juiced & zested

• 1/2 cup pine nuts

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Sea salt & pepper to taste

• 1 cup fresh spring peas, blanched

• 1/4 cup Lemon Cashew Cream Sauce, optional (recipe below)

• 3 spring scallions, chopped

• Grated zest of one lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously. Add the orzo & cook according to package instructions. Drain, & rinse with cold water.

2. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli until just tender, about two minutes. Drain & run under cold water to stop cooking.

3. To make pesto combine the cooked broccoli, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice & lemon zest into a food processor & pulse for about a minute. Drizzle in the olive oil & pulse until smooth. Add salt & pepper to taste.

4. Blanche the peas in a steamer basket over boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain.

5. Toss the orzo, peas, about 2/3 of the pesto & lemon cashew cream sauce. Garnish with lemon zest, chopped spring scallions, & fresh herbs. Taste & add what suits your palate - more lemon, salt, pesto, etc.

LEMON CASHEW CREAM SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup raw cashews

• 2 cups boiling water

• 1 cup vegetable stock or water

• ¼ cup lemon juice

• Sea salt & cracked black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the cashews in a medium heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes.

2. Drain the cashews well and place them in a blender. Add the stock or water, lemon juice, salt & pepper & blend until very smooth.

This dish translates well both hot or cold. Serve as a warm sunset meal with a glass of crisp wine, or pack up for a charming spring picnic in the park. Enjoy!