This is a favorite salad of mine that I first had in Florence, Italy in 2011. The blend of Emmentaler cheese and pesto with the soft, creaminess of the avocado is enhanced by this light, delicate wine that also has structure and a nice backbone!
This recipe appears in Un-Wine’d, which airs Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. on VPM PBS. Watch past seasons and current episodes on the PBS app or PBS website. Check the broadcast schedule for local listings. Discover more recipes here.
What You’ll Need:
- 6 ounces arugula (rocket)
- 2 c. fresh basil leaves
- 2 T. pine nuts
- 2 large garlic cloves
- ½ c olive oil plus more to thin as necessary
- ½ c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces emmentaler cheese, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 ripe avocados, cut into cubes
Directions:
Step 1: Prepare 4 salad plates with a bed of arugula, approximately 1 ½ ounce each.
Step 2: In a food processor, blend the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, ½ c. olive oil, and parmesan cheese until smooth. Set the pesto aside.
Step 3: In a mixing bowl, mix together the emmentaler cubes, avocado, and ½ c. pesto. Stir well and place ¼ of the mixture on the arugula. Serve with additional pesto. If needed, the pesto can be thinned with additional olive oil, a little at a time.
Makes 4 salads.