Green is Life

From early summer landscapes and spring leaves to stormy Atlantic squalls, I am drawn to shades of green. It seems to represent life and movement, growth and renewal. Having experienced the verdant coastline of the Cinque Terre in Liguria on the Italian Riviera, home to olive orchards and wine groves which plunge dramatically towards the sea on rocky terraces, the dark green Pesto alla Genovese originating from this region is a reflection of great simple food being produced from very few indigenous ingredients. As we are more likely to have watercress in our fridge, Graham's watercress pesto is a good alternative to the traditional Italian recipe.



watercress pesto
4-6 servings

75g (1/2 bag) of watercress
1 clove of garlic
50g of pine nuts (lightly toasted)
50g grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
100ml extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

• chop the watercress and garlic in a small food processor (don't go as far as to puree the ingredients)
• add the pine nuts then transfer the mixture to a bowl
• stir in the cheese and olive oil
• season to taste before stirring into freshly cooked pasta