Mushroom, Butter Bean & Cauliflower Warm Pesto Salad Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Basil & walnut pesto:

• 2 cups basil leaves, well packed
• ¼ cup raw walnuts
•  ½ cup / 40g Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• ¼ cup / 60ml lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup / 60ml olive oil

Salad

• 500g cauliflower (about 1 medium sized head), cut into florets
• 400g tin butter beans, rinsed and drained
• 500g white button mushrooms, halved
• Handful fresh basil leaves, for serving
• Lemon wedges, for serving
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, for cooking

Method:

For the pesto:

1. Combine all the pesto ingredients in a food processor, except for the olive oil.
2. Season well with salt and pepper.
3. Blitz until combined and then slowly drizzle the olive oil into the food processor until everything is a smooth consistency.
4. Scrape about half a cup of the pesto into a large mixing bowl.
5. Keep the remaining pesto in a jar in the fridge and use for other dishes like smashed avocado toast or pesto scrambled eggs.

For the salad

1. Bring a pot of water to the boil.
2. Blanch the cauliflower in boiling water for about 2 minutes, depending on the size of the florets. You want it to retain a nice firm texture and not be mushy.
3. Remove the cauliflower with a slotted spoon and add directly to the large mixing bowl of pesto.
4. Add the butter beans and mix to combine.
5. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan.
6. Cook the white buttons on high heat until golden brown and just tender. Season.
7. Add to the mixing bowl of veg and toss them until well coated in the pesto.
8. Plate the warm pesto salad and then shower it with basil leaves.
9. Serve with chunky lemon wedges on the side and enjoy!