Vegetables With Pesto and Parmesan Thins

Samuel Holden's Note:

A perfect starter or a good light lunch... I make this for special occasions and dinner parties.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

• 4 parmesan crackers (see my other recipe)
• 8 pieces fresh green asparagus
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 small aubergine
• 1 small courgette
• 1 head broccoli
• 1/4 cup double cream
• butter (for frying)
• oil (for frying)
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• salt
• pepper

Pesto sauce

• 4 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups fresh basil
• 5 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. ------Pesto sauce---------.
2. Lightly toast pine nuts.
3. In a food processor (or with a pestle and mortar), mix the basil, pine nuts and cheese into a paste.
4. Add oil and blend to a smooth paste.
5. Keep in an airtight jar in the fridge.
6. ------Vegetables-------.
7. Bake the potatoes until they are soft, let them cool and split them in half.
8. Sprinkle a little salt and Cayenne pepper onto the potatoes and using a knife put small"slits" into them.
9. Using a steamer, cook the broccoli and the asparagus for no more than 3 minutes on a very high heat, they must be crisp, not mushy.
10. Place in an oiled oven dish on a low heat to keep warm.
11. Using a large skillet, heat butter and oil and fry the potatoes until slightly crispy on the flat side. Set them aside.
12. Add more butter if necessary and fry circles of aubergine and the Courgette until cooked but crisp.
13. Place in the oven dish.
14. Now fry the asparagus, coat with butter and oil thats in the pan, don't let it cook too much or they will loose the crunch.
15. Add broccoli and toss in the butter.
16. Set aside in the oven dish Add cherry tomatoes and"caramelize".
17. Warm plates.
18. Set up as follows:Take Parmesan thins and place to one side of plate.
19. Put asparagus fanning out from the parmesan, with a cherry tomatoe between each piece.
20. Arrange other ingredients as is convenient.
21. Heat up some double cream and add 4 Tbsp pesto.
22. Drizzle over the vegetables.
23. Accompany with a chilled white wine and serve "Mushroom Puffs" as the main course.