Monday, September 30, 2013

Mix and Match Pesto

Food network magazine is awesome. Christy subscribed me for my birthday last year....and they keep coming (you may want to make sure they're not still charging you there sista!).

This is awesome because you can use what you have on hand without worrying about having 3 cups of basil and pine nuts (which are so freakin' expensive!)


1. Pick a nut or seed, and toast 1/3 cup. Then pulse until finely ground in a food processor or hand blender.

  • pine nuts
  • almonds
  • walnuts
  • cashews
  • pecans
  • sesame seeds
  • sunflower seeds
2. Choose your base,  3 cups total, add it to the nuts/seeds (you can choose up to 3 of these):
  • basil
  • parsley
  • kale, chopped
  • arugula
  • spinach, chopped
  • cilantro
  • mint
  • collard greens
  • romaine, chopper
3.Choose your seasoning, and add 1/2 - 1 tsp to the processor (choose up to 3): PLUS add 1/4 tsp salt
  • garlic, chopped
  • lemon zest, grated
  • orange zest, grated
  • red pepper flakes
  • fresh thyme
  • fresh oregano, chopped
  • fresh tarragon, chopped
  • fresh rosemary, chopped
4. Choose your cheese, add 1/2 cup to the processor. Once this is added, pulse it to combine
  • parmesan
  • asiago
  • gruyere
  • aged or smoked gouda
  • aged cheddar

Once all of this is pulsed together, slowly add 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil. You can add chicken, sun dried tomatoes, olives, roasted red pepper, or tomatoes to finish it off!

This makes about 1 cup of pesto, use 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup for 1 pound of pasta.


FYI, this what I made tonight and it was DELISH!!!
1/3 cup toasted slivered almond, 
1 cup basil, 
1 cup kale, 
1 cup spinach, 
4 cloves garlic, 
1/2 cup parmesan, 
1/2 cup oil, 
with fresh garden tomatoes on top!


bon appétit!!
Cathy

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