Giant Beans with Grape Leaf Pesto
One of my favorite recipes from Season 1 of My Greek Table. You can make a Greek-inspired pesto with grape leaves and feta, and think of this traditional product well beyond its most famous dish, dolmades! To find some of the artisinal Greek products you'll need to make this, visit my online shop here, where you'll discover a host of lovingly curated Greek ingredients.
Ingredients
- 6 cups cooked Greek giant beans* about 2 cups raw
- 2 cups trimmed baby arugula
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 4 scallions trimmed and finely chopped
- Grated zest of one lemon
- For the pesto
- 12 brined grape leaves drained, blanched and trimmed
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
- 2/3 cup toasted pine nuts or toasted blanched almonds
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2/3 cup extra virgin Greek olive oil or more as needed
- * To cook the beans soak them overnight then boil. Remove when tender but al dente and drain.
Instructions
- Rough-chop the grape leaves and place in a food processor with blade attachment. Place the mint or arugula garlic and nuts in the bowl of the processor, too. Pulse until the mixture is a dense paste. Gradually add olive oil, until the resulting sauce is thick but liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Combine the beans, arugula, chopped parsley, scallions and lemon zest in a serving bowl. Serve immediately.
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