Arugula, basil, cashew + parmesan dip
A dip for summer and far superior than any store bought dip, it’s easy to make and this dip can be whipped up in 5 minutes and has a number of uses.
Is it Arugula, rocket or Italian cress? My early days immersing myself into restaurant life at the age of 19 I worked for Lois Daish, her menus were always printed daily, typed out using a typewriter I might add….and there was no room for mistakes! This is where I first encountered the ingredient arugula, which turned out to be one of my favourite leafy greens in the 90’s and probably one of the reasons why I didn’t go to cooking school. The fact was I didn’t want to be around a whole lot of 18 year olds that didn’t know what arugula was, which left me to become self taught. The Arugula we used way back then was organic and grown in the Hawkes bay, the deliveries a highlight of the week and the flavour was intense so peppery and distinctive, a flavour I will never forget! Often to this day I use the term Arugula over rocket…..what’s the difference you ask? Generally Arugula is slender and has a sharp edge pointy leaf, while rocket has a broader more flat curved leaf.
This dip truly is the taste of summer and while basil isn’t my favourite herb of all time, it does scream summer in a bowl! It’s versatile to and can be used in a number of dishes or different ways. See notes.
Ingredients
1 clove garlic, grated or minced
70g grated Parmesan cheese
100g arugula (rocket)
20g fresh basil leaves
100g cashew nuts
3/4 cup to 1 cup of olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
A pinch of nutmeg
Salt & pepper
Olive oil for finishing
Method
Place the garlic, parmesan, arugula, basil, cashew nuts in a food processor. Pulse briefly 3 - 4 times to achieve a chunky consistency. You may need to push the ingredients down between pulses to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
Next with the processor going, drizzle in 3/4 cup of the olive oil. Add remaining olive oil to thin to the desired consistency.
Add lemon juice, nutmeg and seasoning. Taste the dip and adjust the seasonings if needed.
This dip can be served immediately with a sturdy cracker, or leave it for a few hours allowing the flavours to develop. When serving I will always pour over a little more olive oil, usually a flavoured olive oil such as fennel.
Store in the fridge for up to 6 days.
See notes for other uses.
NOTES + VARIATIONS
Try stirring in ricotta, greek yoghurt or sour cream into the finished recipe for a creamier version.
Add ricotta to the finished version and toss with baby boiled potatoes, a heap of fresh herbs of a hand full of crisp arugula.
Brillant on fresh bread or toast with tomatoes
Toss with some fresh pasta, olive oil and fresh herbs