Orecchiette With Brussels Sprouts and Kale Pesto: As Dramatically Good as it is Good for You

It’s funny, for all of us who love fun, we can always find a wine pairing for any dish recipe, even the ones that you’d think would be hard to pair with. Take this oh, so delicious, and so good for you hearty recipe for Orecchiette With Brussels Sprouts and Kale Pesto, from the book Aim True by Kathryn Budig. Believe you’ll be delighted by the way our Sutter Home Sauvignon Blanc complements it. It’s lively and inviting, a great al l-purpose wine. Cheers to eating, and drinking healthy, wealthy, and wise.

Recipe:

Orecchiette With Brussels Sprouts and Kale Pesto

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

Pesto

• 1 bunch curly kale, deribbed
• ½ serrano pepper (or other chile)
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 5 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
• 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
• ½ cup grated Romano cheese, plus extra for garnish

Pasta

• 16 ounces orecchiette
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 2 cups Brussels sprouts, cleaned and slivered
• 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat, then prepare a bowl of ice water and set it nearby. Toss the kale into the boiling water and cook for 1 minute; immediately transfer it to the ice bath. Drain the kale well and pat it dry.
2. Combine the kale, serrano, pine nuts, garlic, 1½ cups olive oil, and salt in a high-powered blender and puree until smooth. Add more oil if necessary to get the desired consistency. Stir in ½ cup of the Romano. Set the pesto aside
3. Cook the orecchiette to al dente, according to the package directions. Drain and keep it covered.
4. Warm the ghee in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the Brussels sprouts and salt flakes, and sauté for about 10 minutes, or until the sprouts are golden brown and slightly crunchy.
5. Toss the warm pasta with some pesto. (I use about ¾ cup for this amount of pasta, because I prefer a lighter dressing, but go according to what you love!) Gently fold in the Brussels sprouts, reserving a few for garnish. Serve with grated Romano cheese for sprinkling.

“Aim True” book page: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062419712/aim-true

Entertainment Tip: Tip from “Aim True” by Kathryn Budig: This recipe will make about 2 cups of pesto, so you’ll probably have leftovers. It will keep, refrigerated, for up to a week or can be frozen.