Stellenbosch – a Mediterranean town
Adam I recently went for dinner to Jardine, a delightful fine dining restaurant in Stellenbosch. Here’s the link for anyone interested in trying it: https://www.restaurantjardine.co.za/. Stellenbosch is about a 1-hour drive out of Cape Town and is really worth the visit if you haven’t been. It is home to the University of Stellenbosch, and as a result, is full of young, fun students. The streets are lined with lots of vibrant coffee shops, bars and restaurants and the atmosphere is really wonderful. The climate is quite a bit warmer than Cape Town (much less sea breeze!) and the town has a distinctly Mediterranean feeling.
At Jardine we had the pleasure of sitting at a romantic table for two outside. Here we could enjoy the warm and balmy summer evening, whilst watching the world go by. Our dinner was delicious, with lots of locally sourced ingredients and a very seasonal menu. One of the very tasty items served with crusty bread at the start, was a type of pumpkin seed pesto. We enjoyed it so much, that I decided to whip some up at home. And for all you traditionalists out there, don’t panic – pumpkin seed pesto really is the real deal! Pumpkin seeds are a great alternative to pine nuts, as they are just as delicious and nutty, but also a lot cheaper.
Grow your own herbs on the balcony
I’d love to say that we are able to grow as many delicious vegetables as we do in Greece, but sadly with a small balcony, that is just not the case. The best I can do is fill a few herb boxes with the real essentials. One is reserved for spinach – it grows pretty much all year round, and very fast! In the other herb boxes I grow a variety of herbs. Parsley, rosemary, thyme and chives are staples that I use all the time, and in the summer months, lots of basil. I’ve tried to grow mint, but it doesn’t seem to like the intense heat that we often get in the afternoon. Basil, on the other hand, loves it! I enjoy a bountiful crop pretty much from the end of spring all through summer.
Pumpkin seed pesto is not just for pasta
Basil is a lovely addition to a herby salad or an Italian style pasta sauce or pizza. Even better, it is perfect for pesto. Pesto freezes well, and despite what you might think, has so many uses other than just the usual pesto pasta. Use your pumpkin seed pesto in dressings, in sandwiches or just mixed with mayonnaise or yoghurt to make a delicious dip. It is also lovely just slathered by itself onto crusty bread, or dolloped on top of some smashed avo on toast. Another favourite of ours is to drizzle some on top of soup, just to give a bit more flavour. For a more rustic and traditional pesto, make the pesto in a pestle and mortar. I usually prefer to throw all the ingredients into a blender or even the NutriBullet. I don’t blend it for long, so that the pesto still has some texture.
Pumpkin Seed Pesto
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds
- 2 packed cups of fresh basil leaves
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- Zest of 1/2 a lemon
- 1-2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup of parmesan, coarsely grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the pumpkin seeds in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Toast until they begin to pop and turn golden and nutty.
- Roughly chop the basil.
- Place the pumpkin seeds, basil, garlic, lemon zest and 1 tbsp. of lemon juice in a blender. Add the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Blitz to a rough texture in a blender or NutriBullet.
- Add the parmesan. Using a spatula, scrape the pesto back down the sides of the blender and gently mix through the parmesan. Blitz quickly to roughly break up the cheese and bring the pesto together.
- To store, place the pesto in a container and cover with a thin layer of olive oil. I usually freeze the pesto and scoop out some as I need. It can also be kept in the fridge for about 4-5 days.
