Pining for pesto
Spring is all about anticipation.
Anticipating all of the wonderful fruit surrounding us to reach
its peak alone can drive you crazy.
Pining for pesto
Spring is all about anticipation.
Anticipating all of the wonderful fruit surrounding us to reach its peak alone can drive you crazy. Strawberries kick off this ache in April and each time I find myself cleaning another batch of them, my mind is thinking of the blueberries that will come in mid-May. And then after this come the apricots followed by the cherries and so on.
Equally anticipated are the vegetables grown around here. Right now my plate is filled with greens prepared in various ways from large salads to sauteed along side a fish filet or tossed in to a frittata. As each week passes and I seek new ways to be creative with these local ingredients, I start to salivate when the first harvest of sugar snap peas come to mind. As I am sinking my teeth in to that first pea pod, my mind is on the upcoming zucchini, then cucumbers, sweet corn, potatoes, tomatoes – all just around the corner.
I am constantly trying to come up with new ways to cook vegetables in hopes of not only keeping my own diet interesting, but also to offer some guidance to my customers who often look to me for advice. One of the most versatile, and always delicious, base for a meal is making a simple pesto in your food processor or blender. Sure you can buy a bottle in the store, but it is not going to have the freshness in every bite you get when you combine fresh herbs, garlic and high-quality olive oil.
There are dozens of variations on pesto and it’s hard for me to even come up with a favorite. Until this weekend, I would have shouted cilantro pesto hands down. But then Phil Foster had some beautiful Italian parsley this week which I used in an artichoke pesto and wow – it was delicious simply spooned on to a toasted piece of ciabatta bread!
With the leftovers, I made an omelet with Paul Hain’s delicious, hardy organic eggs and put a bit of this pesto in it. What a perfect Sunday brunch it made alongside some fresh squeezed blood orange juice.
Arugula is a very peppery herb, more pungent than basil, and me being keen on very small doses of basil, I have shied away from arugula altogether until this weekend. Lakeside Organics had an abundance available this week so I offered it to my customers. Seeing a few lonely bunches left for the taking, I seized the opportunity to give it another try. I figured if I am ever going to like it, it’s going to be in a pesto dish.
I tossed it with some spaghetti and shrimp for dinner and found it not as pungent as I expected, which was a plus. Its flavor was peppery, but a welcome new flavor to my tongue. Mixed with fresh garlic and savory walnuts, it was a delicious new twist on an easy meal. Now I can’t wait for the next opportunity to make a batch!
Basic Pesto
2 c. lightly packed herb of your choice – Cilantro, Basil, Mint, or Arugula for more pungent pesto. Italian Parsley or Spinach for a milder one.
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 c. pine nuts or walnuts (cilantro and walnuts are a particular favorite combo of mine)
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil (use high-quality olive oil like Pietra Santa’s to get a light, savory flavor)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until thoroughly combined.
Artichoke Pesto on Ciabatta
1 (8-ounce) pack canned artichoke hearts
1 c. fresh parsley leaves, packed down
1/2 c. chopped toasted walnuts
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 (12 to 16-inch) ciabatta loaf, cut into slices
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
In a food processor combine the artichokes, parsley, walnuts, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Run the machine to finely chop all the ingredients, stopping the machine a few times to scrape down the sides.
Then, with the machine running, drizzle in 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil. Mix in the Parmesan.
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the ciabatta slices with the 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil.
Grill until toasted, about 5 minutes.
Spread the artichoke pesto over the toasted slices and serve.
Pasta, Pesto, and Peas
3/4 lb. fusilli pasta
3/4 lb. bow tie pasta
1/4 c. good olive oil
1 1/2 c. pesto (packaged or see recipe below)
1 bunch chopped spinach, steamed and water squeezed out
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 c. good mayonnaise or nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 c. peas
1/3 c. pine nuts
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.
Other suggested uses for pesto:
Toss with your pasta, either warm or cold
Mix with boiled potatoes
Spoon on to toasted baguette slices for a quick appetizer
Use as a sauce on your chicken sandwich
Add it to grilled fish recipes
Mix it into an omelet
