G.P. Gottlieb: Murder, Mystery, and Recipes: Just a Little Cozy
About the Recipe
I love recipes that use pantry or freezer ingredients, and this one only requires the addition of fresh basil (or fresh mint if you're making the Sweet Pea Mint version of the dip. Earlier in the week, I had about a cup of leftover Sweet Pea Basil Tahini and poured it over sauteed veggies and pesto to create a new dish! This dip/sauce is extremely versatile.
Ingredients
2 cups frozen sweet peas
3 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
3 TBSP water
2 TBSP tahini
1 tsp powdered garlic (or 2 fresh, small, minced cloves)
1 or 2 large sprigs fresh basil with leaves and stems (about ¼ cup)
½ tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
Preparation
In a small glass bowl, microwave peas for 2 minutes in about 1/3 of a cup of water. Remove and chill in an ice bath or under cold water for a minute. Then strain out the water. In a food processor, blend everything until smooth for about 1 to 2 minutes. (Taste and add more salt as needed.)
Alternative: For a Sweet Pea MINT Pesto, skip the tahini and basil, add 2 large sprigs of fresh mint with leaves and stems, ¼ cup toasted pine nuts, and 2 TBSPs nutritional yeast. (It’ll already be salty from the nutritional yeast but add more if needed!)
Except for fresh basil or mint, I always have the rest of the ingredients at home. Enjoy either version as a dip or add water to thin it into a sauce. I like to spread it on toast or drizzle it over vegetables, pasta, and fritters.