Essere Come Prezzemolo is a handy Italian expression. It simply means to be like parsley, and is applied to people who turn up everywhere, or are always there. ( Steven Fry comes to mind ) Thank goodness parsley is always in my garden as it forms the backbone of many a meal. It flavours stock, is the main star in tabbouleh and it is sprinkled over many a dish, like confetti at a wedding, or a last blessing from the kitchen. 
This little salad always gets eaten first at any family gathering. Â The young wolves descend on it.It is an economical starter, especially if you grow parsley which is really like a weed. Serve this with another salad, some herbed olives and a tasty bread for lunch.
The dish employs winter produce at its peak. Avocados, which are cheap in July and August, come from our sunnier northern states. Parsley is always prolific in the garden but more so in winter as it tends to ‘bolt’ in summer. The eggs are free range organic bantam eggs but any small sized organic eggs you can get hold of will go well as they are the star.
Antipasto di Uova, Prezzemolo e Avocado
- 6 eggs ( small size)
- 1 large avocado, or more as required.
- 1 bunch Italian parsley
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- small handful pine nuts
- sea salt
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Hard boil the eggs. Meanwhile make the parsley pesto in a mortar and pestle. Throw in the peeled garlic and some coarsely ground salt. Begin pounding. Add the pine nuts and continue pounding. ( Think of your least favorite politician). Add the leaves from the parsley bunch, a bit at a time. Continue bashing away until the parsley is broken down but still a little rough in texture. Add the oil, continue pounding, and add enough to make a green sauce, runny enough to drizzle. Arrange the halved eggs and avocado chunks on a platter, drizzle with the parsley pesto, and add another grinding of salt. 
I usually reserve the term pesto for the classic basil pesto which I only make in Summer. This one is so similar, and the green is so vibrant, I’m allowing it to sneak into the pesto category.
ALMOST ITALIAN 
I have a mountain of parsley at the moment so I will make a batch of pesto to have with the eggs and avocado I also have! Sounds delicious. Funny post, Francesca. I do like Stephen Fry.
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Stephen fry is OK in small does but he seems to be ‘come prezzemolo’, on the ABC all day and night. Celia calls him her insomnia cure.
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Yum! I love anything eggy. I made parsley pesto a few months ago for the first time. I was delighted that it held it vibrant greenness. We ate most of it with fish, but watch out eggs. Hip hooray for Mount Zero olives. Francesca, do you warm them in the oven?
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No I just get a scoop out of the big jar of Mt Zero olives in the fridge, and throw them into a small frying pan, with EV oil, herbs, garlic and so on. I’m thinking about orange peel and lemon peel here as you do some many good things with peel. I warm them up briefly as the guesties walk in the door.
I can imagine the pesto with fish too- I usually serve a salsa verde with fish and this is an obvious offspring. Yes, it stays so green! I also drizzled some over little involtini made with grilled eggplant stuffed with fetta and skewered. The photos were too dodgy to post!
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I always marinate my olives so they’re super infused, herbs, garlic and lemon zest, just keep them in the cupboard. Just have to make sure there’s a good 3cm of EVOO keeping everything submerged. I’ve never served them warm but love it when someone serves them to me. Thanks for the tip
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This is the cheat’s way when they haven’t been marinated. I buy Mt Zeros bulk from the Vic Market. They are great in winter warmed. I also like do fry off some garlic and rosemary to make strong herbed oil and then throw in some less desirable black olives while the oil is hot. You will be surprised about how ‘infused’ they taste. My Italian friends don’t marinate olives at all- they like the natural brininess to shine through, especially on home cured olives.
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Mount Zero have a big presence in the marketplace. I get them from the farmer’s Market at the Abbotsford Convent, probably pay lots more than you do! Great idea to disguise poor olives with rosemary and garlic too! I figure if the oives are already in the marinade, all I have to do is dig ’em out and they’re ready to go, via the frypan next time!
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Hehe I never knew about that saying about parsley being everywhere but that’s hilarious! I will be sure to use that in conversation 😛
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Yum. Simple and flavoursome. I’m mentally filing this for not to distant future use 🙂
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Thanks Ella- Fast and tasty. Could be on the road food.
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Ooh, yes. We’re getting better, all the time, at on the road food 🙂
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Oh my! I love this salad. I’m going to make it right away. Lovely warmed olives too. Thank you for sharing such beauty!
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Thank you so much. It’s simple really, but makes such a good lunch.
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The combination of eggs and avocado is fantastic. But, alas, all my parsley has gone to seed and am living off store bought. Love the Italian saying about parsley and can certainly see how Stephen Fry might apply. Very amusing!
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I feel extremely ‘annoyed’ ( substitute any expletive you like here) when parsley does this. I can’t imagine buying it, then whammo, they go to seed and are forced to pay for weeds. I now keep a little pot in the shade to tide me over in summer. Haha yes, Stephen Fry is like parsley, or, Stephen Fry IS parsley.
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I’m adding bits of boiled chicken to this, hope the idea is fine 🙂
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Go for it. It’s a little salad that is happy with additions. Capers are nice too..
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Your photo of the eggs caught my attention….this sounds and looks delicious! And herbed olives too…my oh my:)
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Would never have thought to make parsley pesto. Such a fab idea!
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Loving this as a summer side at a picnic – looks so vibrant and fresh.
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It’s perfect for a picnic. And a good thing to make easily on the road too.
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