Roasted potato salad with basil mayo

 One of my all time bestest summer salads with an outside BBQ kettle roast.  A family fave for Xmas dinner.

 Serves 4 to 6;  Cooking and Prep time; 1hr

Ingredients

    1 kg tiny new potatoes, unpeeled

    2 tbspn oil

    200 g button mushrooms

    ⅓ cup (50g) sun dried tomatoes, drained, sliced

    ⅓ cup (50g) pine nuts toasted

    2 tbspn basil leaves shredded
  

Basil mayo

    3 egg yolks  (use substitute for vegetarian)

    3 cloves garlic

    1 tbspn Dijon mustard

    ¼ cup (60ml) white wine vinegar

    ¾ cup (180ml) olive oil

    ⅓ tightly packed cup basil leaves shredded (chockers)

    ¼ tspn ground black pepper

Steps

    Place potatoes in baking dish, drizzle with half the oil, bake uncovered in preheated moderate (180c) oven for 45 mins.

    Heat oil in pan, cook mushrooms until browned. (4mins)

    Gently toss potatoes with mushrooms, tomatoes, pine nuts, basil and basil mayo in large bowl.

Basil mayo

    Blend or process egg yolks, garlic, mustard, and vinegar until smooth.

    With motor operating, gradually add in remaining oil, process until thick.

    Add basil and pepper, process briefly.  Makes about 2 cups.

Notes

Mayo can be made a day ahead and stored in fridge.

Source

Not So Humble Vegetables;  Womens Weekly Cookbooks

Basil Pesto

Preparation Time: 3 min,  Cooking Time: 3 min,  Yield:  1.5 cups.


This recipe can be quite versatile by swapping out seasonal greens for the basil and more economical nuts.  For example you could use kale or spinach and cashews, walnuts or almonds.

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh basil, packed
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 medium cloves of garlic, minced
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper


Method:

1.  As an option for enhanced flavor, toast your nuts and unpeeled whole garlic cloves until golden, tossing the pan occasionally.  Leave the garlic in a little longer. Peel the garlic when cooled.

2.  Rinse your basil leaves and pat dry.

3.  Add them to the food processor with the pine nuts and pulse several times.

4.  Next, add the olive oil and blend until smooth.

5.  Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse.  You may need to scrape any ingredients that have stuck to the side of your processor throughout the blending process.

6.  Mince garlic cloves before adding to the processor and pulse again.

7.  Once you’ve added your garlic, add the salt and pepper, blending one last time.

Transfer your pesto to a clean jar. A thin layer of olive oil should begin to accumulate on top of the pesto and refrigerate.  For the pesto to keep up to a year,  add a thin layer of olive oil to coat the top between uses or it will go moldy.  The pesto may also be refrigerated.