Ingredients
- You can replace the broccoli with basil for a traditional pesto. Ive shaped this as a mound but you could also do a log shaped terrine.
- Serves 6-7 when served with crackers or bread as an appetizer
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 150 gram broccoli washed, stalk removed (use this stalk in a salad or stock) and finely chopped or 15 leaves of Italian basil
- 1/4 teaspoon zest of lime
- 1/4 cup garlic coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 50 grams scraped, washed and thinly sliced rounds of orange carrots
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 200 grams cream cheese or low fat firm cottage cheese or Tofu cheese
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a non stick pan and lightly saute carrots until tender. They must hold their shape and retain color so do not brown or overcook them. Cool carrots on a plate then sprinkle with pinch of salt.
- Puree the broccoli, pine nuts, remaining 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, Parmesan, butter or olive oil and garlic until you have a coarse paste. Stir in zest. Taste for salt. This pesto should be slightly salty to compensate the carrots and cream cheese.
- Line a 5 inch round bowl with plastic wrap leaving a large over hang of 4-5 inches on all sides.
- Whisk the cream cheese to a smooth consistency manually, using a whisk. Do not use a food processor.
- Layer the bottom of the bowl with the carrots layering one over the other in concentric circles. Place a round circle in the center to fill any gaps.
- Top with cream cheese. Smooth it carefully so it spreads evenly and presses against the pesto below. But do not mix the two together.
- Layer the broccoli pesto over the cream cheese pressing down to ensure it spreads evenly across the bowl.
- Loosely place the over hanging plastic wrap over the pesto. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Then return to refrigerator.
- Prepare your serving plate and your crackers or sliced bread.
- Remove dip from the fridge and using the edges of the overhanging plastic gently pull the dip out of the bowl.
- Turn it carrot side up on your serving plate. Gently pull away the plastic wrap. Serve immediately with slicing and spreading knives.
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