Pungent Pesto!

Cilantro Pesto

Having a jar of pesto in the fridge allows for an easy and spontaneous pasta dish. Just add a little extra oil or even a splash of water to make it saucy. This pungent sauce is also great on broiled chicken breast, slathered on pita and meatloaf sandwiches, or even mixed into a quinoa salad or mashed potatoes.

Think all pesto is made from basil? Think again. The beauty of pesto is its versatility. The greens, the nuts, the cheese,  the oil ... all can vary according to your taste, budget, and fresh ingredients on hand. Here are lists of possible ingredients you can use, followed by a recipe as an example of how to use the ingredients proportionally, but that can vary too.

Spinach is an ingredient I often use. For my latest batch, I substituted cilantro for the basil. Talk about pungent! Have fun and let me know what combinations you've developed.

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Greens
arugula
basil
​cilantro
​fennel
mint
Italian parsley
​spinach

Nuts (toasted or not)
pine nuts
walnuts
almonds

Cheese
grated Parmesan
grated Romano
feta (a little bit)

Oil
extra virgin olive oil
walnut oil
almond oil

Other ingredients: salt (I use sea salt), garlic cloves, (optional) freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients
1 cup basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup spinach leaves, packed
1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1-2 cloves garlic
dash of sea salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil (or more)
2 tablespoons water (optional)

Instructions
1. In blender or food processor, combine basil, spinach, parsley, cheese, nuts, garlic, and salt. Cover and blend with several on-off pulses, scraping the sides from time to time, until a paste forms. 
​2. Gradually mix in the oil (and water) and blend or process until reaching consistency of soft butter. Add the salt and optional pepper to taste. 
Makes about 3/4 cup. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days, or put in ice cube trays and freeze.
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Good cooking to you,
​Linda
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