Pesto Shrimp Risotto For One

 

Pesto Shrimp Risotto For One

Preparing a recipe for one usually leaves you with many leftover ingredients not often used in your daily meal preparation or ingredients with a short shelf life.  Well this recipe is different.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

1 shallot chopped

1/2 cup arborio rice

1/4 cup white wine or dry vermouth

2 cups chicken, seafood or vegetable stock, heated

4 gorgeous shrimp,  peeled  and deviled

3 tablespoons your favorite jarred pesto 

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 pinch salt and pepper

Directions:                                                                            

In a medium sized braiser or any high-sided pan, melt the butter and sauté the shallot for a couple of minutes or until translucent,  Stir in the rice and continue stirring to coat the grains.  Add the wine and stir as the alcohol evaporates.  Stir the rice continuously while adding stock by 1/4 cup increments,

When the rice has just a slight crunch and near done, add the shrimp.  Caution!  Shrimp over-cooked becomes tough.  When rice has finished cooking and is creamy add the pesto, sour cream, salt and white pepper.  Serve immediately.

Seafood Pasta is never eaten topped with Parmesan cheese.

Quick White Beans and Celery Ragout

 

Quick White Beans and Celery Ragout

Inspired by a Chez Panisse recipe that uses fresh shell beans, this simple ragout is so delicious. Sauté celery, zucchini and scallions with a glug of olive oil, then add canned beans and cook until warmed. If you prefer a thicker sauce, add the beans at the beginning of cooking so they break down as they’re stirred. Serve with grilled bread, pearl couscous or farro. Soft herbs like basil or parsley, tender greens like arugula or mâche, or pesto or salsa verde would all make for a lovely garnish.  My daughter served this dish when I visited with her.  I got the copy of the recipe and made it when I returned home.  It will be a  favorite of mine!

Ingredients:

⅔ cup vegetable stock, plus more as needed
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced on an angle, leaves reserved
2 medium zucchini (about 7 ounces each), trimmed, quartered lengthwise then cut into ½-inch pieces
2 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Crème fraîche, mascarpone or sour cream, for serving
Pesto (or soft herbs like basil or parsley), for serving
Cooked pearl couscous or grilled bread, for serving

Directions:
Combine the stock, oil, celery, zucchini and scallions in a large, deep skillet; season generously with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, adding the beans halfway through, about 10 minutes total. If you’d like to make it brothier, add ⅓ cup vegetable stock and warm for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide among shallow bowls. Top with a dollop of crème fraîche, drizzle with pesto and top with celery leaves. Serve with couscous or grilled bread. Yield 4 to 6 servings.

Carrot Top Pesto

Carrot Top Pesto

Our Easter dinner included roasted tri-colored carrots served with this pesto. So tasty I wanted to share this recipe.  Vibrant, herby carrot top pesto with fresh basil and hidden carrot tops make a delicious pesto  So tasty with grains, roasted vegetables, chicken, and more. Ready in just 5 minutes!  If you’ve made it before and thought “Hmm, that’s resourceful, but I wouldn’t make it again,” we urge you to give this version a try! Thanks to a little help from fresh basil, it’s just mildly earthy and worthy of saving in your recipe box!  Thank You Jennifer for sharing your dish and the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup loosely packed carrot tops, tough stems removed   

    (~1 small or 1/2 medium bunch yields ~1 cup or 20 g)

1 ½ cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves, large stems removed

1/3 cup pine nuts (or sub walnuts, pistachios, or cashews)

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 medium cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus more as needed)

1-2 Tbsp water (plus more as needed)

Directions:

Remove the carrot greens from a bunch of carrots, rinse them, and choose the freshest looking greens. Discard the rest (or save for bunnies — they love them!).

Add all your pesto ingredients except the water to a food processor (or small blender) and process until it's broken down into a chunky mixture. Add water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time until creamy and dippable, keeping in mind water will dilute the flavor, so avoid adding too much (we used 2 tablespoons total).

Taste and adjust as needed, adding more olive oil for richness, lemon juice for brightness, basil if too thin, or water to reach desired consistency.

Enjoy with roasted carrots, potatoes, pasta, and more! Leftover pesto will keep stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, but will lose some of its bright green color.

Asparagus Tart With Whipped Feta And Poached Eggs

Asparagus Tart With Whipped 

Feta And Poached Eggs:

Ingredients:

For the Tart:

1 sheet puff pastry

8 large stalks asparagus

1 prosciutto slice, thinly sliced

2 eggs

1 tablespoon pesto

Salt, to taste

Olive oil, for drizzling

For the Whipped Feta:

8 ounces feta cheese

1/4 cup whipped cream cheese

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface into a rectangular shape. Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Trim the woody ends from the asparagus spears. Place them on the puff pastry sheet, arranging them evenly lengthwise. Leave a border around the edges.

Drizzle olive oil over the asparagus and season with a pinch of salt.

Bake the puff pastry and asparagus in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the asparagus is tender. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning.

While the tart is baking, prepare the whipped feta. In a food processor, combine the feta cheese and whipped cream cheese. Blend until smooth and creamy. You can adjust the consistency by adding more whipped cream cheese if needed. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring water to a gentle simmer. Crack the eggs into separate small bowls. Carefully slide each egg into the simmering water and poach for about 3-4 minutes, or until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

Once the tart is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. Spread pesto over the tart.

To assemble, spread the whipped feta over the pesto layer. Lay the slices of prosciutto over the whipped feta.

Carefully transfer the poached eggs onto the tart.

Cut the tart into slices and serve immediately.

Enjoy your delicious asparagus tart with whipped feta and poached eggs!

Parsley Spinach Pesto

Parsley-Spinach Pesto

Spinach and parsley replace basil in this flavorful variation of a classic pesto sauce. It's perfect for winter, when fresh basil is not always available.

 

Ingredients:

½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil, or water
½ teaspoon kosher salt, optional
6 cups (180 g) fresh spinach
½ cup (30 g) Italian flat leaf parsley
½ cup (40 g) soy parmesan, or parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons walnuts
1 garlic clove, peeled

Directions:
Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure the lid.

Start the blender on its lowest speed, then quickly increase to its highest speed.

Blend for 25 to 30 seconds or until desired consistency is reached, using the tamper to press ingredients toward the blades.

Chef's Notes
For a less calorie-dense pesto, swap the olive oil for water.

For a vibrant dark green, blanch the herbs first and then blend. This recipe makes enough to coat 1½ lbs. of cooked butternut squash noodles, pasta, or zucchini noodles.

Pestos are such a wonderful and tasty way to combine vitamin-packed greens with healthy omega-3 fats from nuts and extra virgin olive oil.

Salmon Risotto ~ Parsley Walnut Pesto

Salmon Risotto

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup minced shallots, or yellow onion
2 cups risotto rice (see above for varieties)
1/2 cup Marsala or white wine
6 cups salmon stock, or low-sodium chicken stock
6 ounces flaked, cooked salmon
3 tablespoons pesto
Black pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat the butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the minced shallots and sauté, stirring often. When the shallots are soft, add the rice and stir well. Cook, stirring often, a few minutes, then add the Marsala or white wine. Stir constantly until the liquid has mostly evaporated. 

Start adding the stock 1 cup at a time, stirring it in well. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and cook this, stirring often, until the liquid has mostly been absorbed. Repeat with another cup of stock, and so on until the rice is tender, but still a little al dente. It's possible you will need another cup of liquid. If this is the case, use water. 

Once the rice is about ready, stir in the salmon and the pesto and cook another few minutes. You want your risotto to be loose enough to serve in a bowl, not a plate, so add water if need be. Grind some pepper over it and serve.  Serves 4

Notes
Keep in mind this works just as well with trout or char.
Keys to Success  When you add the stock or water, it needs to be at least room temperature, or warm. So if you want to speed things up a little, put all the stock in another pot and bring it to the steaming point.
It is the stirring that makes good risotto. No getting around it. No matter what someone may tell you, you need to stir risotto to get that starchy creaminess. Comes with the territory. 

As I mention above, the salmon or trout can be leftover, smoked, poached or whatever. I rarely cook salmon just for this recipe.
Any pesto will do. Store-bought basil pesto is nice and easy, but if you can make it or find it, a parsley-walnut pesto goes better with the salmon.

Parsley Walnut Pesto

Ingredients:

3/4 cup walnuts, pecans or pine nuts
1 cup chopped parsley, tightly packed

1/2 cup finely grated pecorino or Parmigiano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 garlic cloves, chopped
Black pepper to taste

Directions:

Put all the ingredients except for the oil into a large mortar and grind to a stiff paste. Once everything is pretty well ground, drizzle in about a quarter of the olive oil and grind it into the pesto. Repeat with another quarter of the oil and then another, until you have incorporated all the oil into the pesto.

Alternately, you can put everything but the oil into the bowl of a food processor. Buzz the mixture while slowly drizzling in the oil. The more oil you use, the more like a sauce and less like a condiment your pesto will be. 

When the pesto is coming together, taste for salt, and add if needed. Serve your parsley pesto right away, or put in a covered container with plastic wrap set down right on the top of the pesto to keep out air. This help keeps the color nice and bright. Use within a couple days, or freeze for up to 6 months.  10 Servings

 

Basil Walnut Pesto

Basil Walnut Pesto

Ingredients
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups (80 g) fresh basil leaves, chopped
¼ cup (30 g) walnuts
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt, optional

Directions:

Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.

Select Low Speed.

Turn machine on and slowly increase to High Speed.

Blend for 45 seconds-1 minute, using the tamper to press ingredients into the blades.

Notes

Recipe yields enough sauce to coat one pound of pasta.

Red Pepper And Walnut Pesto

Red Pepper And Walnut Pesto
A rustic accompaniment that showcases the  
flavors of sun-dried tomatoes and basil, ideal for 
tossing hot pasta or serving with crusty bread.

Ingredients
1 cup (150 g) red bell pepper, seeded, stemmed, diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled
¾ cup (75 g) walnuts, toasted
½ cup (70 g) sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained
1½ Tablespoon (20 g) fresh basil leaves, chopped
½ cup (60 g) grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon salt, optional
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup (120 ml) olive oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 °f (200° C). Halve and trim red pepper, place skin side down on oven rack. Roast 15 to 20 minutes or until skin is well shriveled but not blackened. Place in plastic bag for 15 minutes to steam.

Place garlic cloves in medium-sized saucepan, add cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until soft enough to pierce with a fork. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain.

Place all ingredients into the blender container in the order listed and secure lid.

Turn machine on and slowly increase speed. Blend for 30 seconds or until desired consistency is reached.

Pesto Sauce

Pesto Sauce

You can turn almost anything into a delicious pesto. In a high-speed blender, add herbs, oil, garlic, an acid such as lemon juice, seeds (pumpkin, sunflower or hemp) or nuts (toasted pine, walnut or almond), salt and Parmesan cheese if you eat dairy. Otherwise, add nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. Aromatic herbs are in full swing during the summer. Good ones to make into pesto are basil, mint, dill, tarragon, cilantro, pea shoot, and parsley. You can add vegetables like spinach, kale or arugula to bulk it up and increase the nutrient factor. There is no wrong way to make a pesto, just work with what is available, either using a single herb or various raw herbs and greens. In pestos, herbs and greens are never cooked.

Ingredients:
2 bunches of herbs, OR 

    1 bunch of herbs and 1 bunch of greens
4 cloves raw garlic1/3 cup nuts or seeds
½ cup fresh Parmesan cheese OR

    ¼ cup nutritional yeast
½ cup oil
½ cup lemon juice (most recipes don’t call for lemon 

    juice but I find it helps preserve the herbs)
¼ teaspoon of sea salt

Tomato And Walnut Pesto

Tomato And Walnut Pesto

Pesto is a perfect pasta sauce. Perfectly adaptable, I tend to make pesto with whatever leaves, nuts, and seeds I have on hand. Apart from classic basil, I also love to use English spinach, kale, rocket, carrot tops, parsley, and coriander. This pesto is a little different, with a bold tomato base. Grill your tomatoes to bring out their sweetness and add smokiness. Then, whizz them up with walnuts and parmesan for a creamy, tangy, earthy pesto sauce. Fusilli, linguine, spaghetti, pappardelle, or bucatini work best.

Ingredients:
2 lbs cherry or small tomatoes, halved
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
1 lb. pasta
Handful of basil leaves
Sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. 1. Heat the grill to high. Place the tomatoes on a large tray and drizzle over some olive oil. Season with a big pinch of sea salt. Grill the tomatoes for 6–8 minutes, until the tomatoes have blistered and released some liquid.
   2. In a blender or food processor, whizz up the garlic, parsley, lemon zest and red chile flakes to a fine paste. Add the walnuts and half of the tomatoes, and with the motor running, pour in 1/3 cup of olive oil in a steady stream. When combined, stir in the parmesan and season with sea salt and a good turn of black pepper.
   3. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add the pasta, stirring. Cook according to the packet instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.
   4. Place the pasta in a large bowl and add the pesto along with a splash or two of the reserved pasta cooking water. Keep adding the cooking liquid in small amounts until the sauce coats the pasta effortlessly. Scatter over the remaining grilled tomatoes and the basil leaves.
   5. To serve, top bowls of pasta with a generous amount of parmesan, a squeeze of lemon juice and a finishing drizzle of olive oil.

Substitute

Walnuts: almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds.

Double Broccoli Quinoa

Double Broccoli Quinoa

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked quinoa*
5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems
3 medium garlic cloves
2/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 big pinches salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup coconut milk, heavy cream, or cashew cream
Optional toppings: slivered basil, fire oil (optional)**, sliced avocado
crumbled feta or goat cheese

• 
  

Directions:

Heat the quinoa and set aside.

Now barely cook the broccoli by pouring 3/4 cup water into a large pot and bringing it to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for a minute, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer the broccoli to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking. Set aside.

To make the broccoli pesto, puree two cups of the cooked broccoli, the garlic, 1/2 cup of the almonds, Parmesan, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and pulse until smooth.

Just before serving, toss the quinoa and remaining broccoli florets with about 1/2 of the broccoli pesto. Taste and adjust if needed, you might want to add more of the pesto a bit at a time, or you might want a bit more salt or an added squeeze of lemon juice. Turn out onto a serving platter and top with the remaining almonds, a drizzle of the chile oil, and some sliced avocado or any of the other optional toppings.
NOTES
Serves 4 - 6.
*To cook quinoa: rinse one cup of quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa, two cups of water (or broth if you like), and a few big pinches of salt until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside. 
**To make the red chile oil: You'll need 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes. If you can, make the chile oil a day or so ahead of time by heating the olive oil in a small saucepan for a couple minutes - until it is about as hot as you would need it to saute some onions, but not so hot that it smokes or smells acrid or burned. Turn off the heat and stir in the crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside and let cool, then store in refrigerator. Bring to room temp again before using.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Pesto Potato Salad

Ingredients
Basil Pesto:
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan 
1 tsp. salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Serves 8.

*

Salad:
1 pound fusilli pasta
1 red bell pepper, roasted and cut
    into thin strips
1 (2.2 ounce) can sliced black olives,
   drained
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1 to 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

*

Directions:

1. Turn on the food processor and drop in garlic cloves processing until minced. Stop machine and add the basil, parsley, pine nuts, Parmesan, and salt. Pulse to finely chop. With machine running add enough olive oil and process to make a thick paste.

*

2 .Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until it is just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water to cool. Toss pasta with red pepper strips, olives and pine nuts.

*

3. Stir pesto into 1 cup mayonnaise and gently stir that into the pasta salad. Toss to combine well, adding more mayonnaise as needed to make a moist mixture. Chill until ready to serve. Add more mayonnaise just before serving, if necessary. 

Pesto And Mascarpone Crusted Salmon Fillets

Pesto And Mascarpone 

Crusted Salmon Fillets

This is a recipe that I wasn't convinced would be as tasty as I found it to be.  It is absolutely wonderful and I almost forgot to photograph.  My suggestion for the recipe is, make certain that you drain excess oil from the pesto or the mascarpone will be too thin.

*

Ingredients:

1-8 oz. container prepared pesto

1-8 oz, container mascarpone cheese

6-5 oz. salmon filles

salt and pepper

2 cups fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

*

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Turn pesto into a strainer and let set over a bowl  and let drain for 10 minutes.  Stir pesto into mascarpone cheese.

Arrange salmon fillets on a parchment lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.  Divide the pesto cheese evenly among salmon fillets, spreading over entire surface.

Toss bread crumbs with parmesan cheese.   Divide the bread crumbs evenly among salmon fillets, pressing down lightly into pesto cheese.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the salmon is just cooked through.

Grilled Flank Steak with Roasted Tomato Pesto

Grilled Flank Steak with Roasted Tomato Pesto
	Serve the steak at room temperature. You can use other steak such as hangar, if you prefer. The meatiness of the steak and the richness of the pesto match the flavors in Cabernet Sauvignon perfectly. Ingredients: 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard 2 tbsp. soy sauce 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary ½ tsp. chili powder 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 1½ lbs. flank steak * ROASTED TOMATO PESTO 2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in half ⅓ cup olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 tbsp. chopped garlic ¼ cup chopped parsley ¼ cup chopped coriander or mint leaves ½ cup grated Parmesan * Directions: 1 Combine Dijon, soy sauce, rosemary, chili powder and vegetable oil in a small bowl. Lay flank steak in a shallow dish and coat with marinade.  Leave for 1 hour. * 2 Preheat oven to 350°F.  * 3 Toss tomatoes with 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil, reserving remainder, and season with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet, flesh-side up. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until shrivelled but still juicy. Let cool for 5 minutes. * 4 Add tomatoes to food processor along with garlic, parsley, coriander or mint and remaining olive oil. Whirl until chunky and season well  with salt and pepper. Stir in Parmesan and reserve. * 5 Preheat grill to high. Place the steak on grill and sear for 1 minute. Close lid and grill for 4 minutes. Turn over and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes or until  medium-rare.  * 6 Let steak cool. Thinly slice against the grain and serve with tomato pesto. * Serves 12 as a tasting dish size.

Kale Pesto

Kale Pesto

This is a recipe from our daughter Barbara.  Barbara made it and served it on ravioli.  The next evening it was served as a spread on crackers.  Barbara calls this recipe, "amazing".

* 

Summary: Kale Pesto, ultra green, lemony and Parmesaned-up, is a kitchen workhorse. Never be without it!

Ingredients:

1 bunch Lacintao kale (aka Tuscan, black, dinosaur or Cavolo Nero), about 12 ounces, *washed (see note below) and ribs removed

2 cloves raw garlic

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (I used Calolea  Olio Nuovo fresh pressed)

2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice

Pinch of kosher salt

Black pepper, a few grinds

Directions:

 

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor. Puree until pasty (pesto means paste) and well combined, 30-60 seconds.
2. Scrape into a lidded container and store in the refrigerator until use.

*

Washing the kale:

Especially if you have picked it from your back yard, where aphids probably rule the roost, wash the kale under very hot water to dislodge the critters. This will also begin to soften it slightly, and it will turn bright-dark green.

 

Butternut Penne With Pistachio Pesto

Butternut Penne With Pistachio Pesto

***

Last evening I prepared dinner at our son's home.  We all have a fondness for butternut squash.  I gave this recipe as an offering for dinner and all agreed that it sounded like a winner.  A WINNER it was indeed.   This recipe came from the blog, Sprouted Kitchen.

I have decided their reason a Meyer lemon is suggested in the recipe.  I used a regular lemon and the lemon flavor had a very slight dominance in the pesto flavor but it wasn't distasteful.  This is a recipe that I would definitely make over and over again.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. (one large) butternut squash, peeled seeded and cut into 1'' pieces
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil
2 tsp. smoked paprika (Pimenton)
1 tsp. sea salt
bit of fresh grated nutmeg
8 oz. brown rice, quinoa or whole grain penne pasta
2 huge handfuls (about 3 cups) well chopped baby spinach or swiss
chard

*

Pistachio Pesto

1 large/ 2 small cloves garlic
zest and juice of one meyer lemon or lime
1/3 cup toasted, unsalted pistachio nuts
1 jalepeno or serrano, seeded (I leave a few seeds for spice)
1 cup packed herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, chives, basil
1/2 cup grated parmesan or pecorino, plus more for garnish
1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
few pinches of salt and pepper

*

Directions:Preheat the oven to 450' and set a large pot of salted water to boil.

On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the butternut cubes with the olive oil (enough to coat), smoked paprika, salt, a grate of nutmeg and toss to coat. Bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are charred.

Cook the pasta according to instructions, reserving one cup of the cooking water.

For the pesto, add the garlic, lemon zest and juice to the processor and pulse a few times to break down. Add the jalepeno, pistachios, herbs and parmesan and run the processor to mix, about 30 seconds. Drizzle in the olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper until combined. Taste and alter as desired. If you want it thinner, add a splash of water or oil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pesto, greens, drained pasta and half of the pasta water and toss gently. The warm pasta and water will wilt the greens perfectly. Add water if needed.

Garnish with a fresh grate of cheese, pepper and any leftover herbs.

Pumpkin Pesto

Pumpkin Pesto

Pumpkin

Sweet potato

Orange juice

Onion

Brown sugar

butter

Sage

Garlic

Lemon juice

Vinegaar

Salt and Pepper

Arugula Pesto

Arugula is the "green" with a peppery flavor. It is a great accent in any salad but wonderful used as Pesto.

Extra virgin olive oil

Canola oil

Arugula

pine nute

Parmesan cheese

Italian parsley

Garlic

Lemon juice

Salt & pepper

Walnut Pesto

Walnut Pesto

Walnuts

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Canola Oil

Parmesan cheese

Fresh parsley

Fresh sage leaves

garlic

vinegar

Herbs

Spices

Four Days of Pesto

Four Days Of Pesto

I have a favorite brand of Pesto manufaactured by Bella Cuccina of Atlant GA. I have a problem paying $10.00 to $12.00 for a small jar when I know the cost of the ingredients. I decided to check the list of ingredients on the lable of the jar and know I can make a pesto when I need. After you make pesto one time you realize it is just a matter of taste.

Tomato Pesto

Sun dried Tomatoes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Canola oil

Parmesan cheese

Pine nuts

Garlic

Salt

Basil

Thyme