Pasta with Olive, Caper and Herbed Pesto

  

 Ingredients:

½ c olive oil
¼ c panko
2 TBSP chopped fresh dill
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
12 ozs pasta
4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
1 garlic clove
1 c fresh parsley
½ c fresh basil
1 c green olives, pitted, halved
3 TBSP drained capers
½ oz Parmesan, finely grated
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice

Heat 1 tsp oil in a medium skillet over medium and cook panko, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to paper towels to drain and toss with dill and lemon zest.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.

Combine with parsley, basil, anchovey paste, garlic, olives, capers and olive oil in a food processor and pulse till chopped.

Toss pasta, sauce and ¼ pasta cooking liquid. Toss, adding Parmesan a bit at a time, along with more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Add lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.

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Charred Broccoli with Blue Cheese Dressing

  

Dressing:
1/3 c half and half
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
3 ozs blue cheese, crumbled (see Note)
1/3 c sour cream
Salt

Broccoli:
2 pounds broccoli, cut into 1 1/2-inch florets with stems
1/4 c unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP harissa
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp Sriracha
1/2 c olive oil
1/3 c minced shallots
Salt
Pepper
2 TBSP butter
1 c crisped rice cereal

In a small saucepan, warm the half and half until hot. Whisk in the crushed red pepper, sugar and one-third of the blue cheese until melted. Let cool completely, then whisk in the sour cream and the remaining cheese. Season the dressing with salt.
PREPARE THE BROCCOLI 

In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, blanch the 
broccoli until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well and spread on a large baking sheet to cool.

In a blender, combine the vinegar, harissa, lemon zest and juice, soy sauce, mustard and Sriracha and puree. With the blender on, gradually add the olive oil until incorporated. Transfer the vinaigrette to a medium bowl and stir in the shallots. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the cereal and 1 1/2 tsp of the harissa vinaigrette and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with half of the remaining vinaigrette and season 
with salt. Grill the broccoli over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until lightly charred all over, about 5 minutes. 
Transfer to a plate.

Spread the blue cheese dressing on a platter and scatter the broccoli on top. Garnish with the spiced crispies and 
serve, passing the remaining harissa vinaigrette at the table.