Make Green Pesto From Anything With These Ratios
Green, hot, bright green pesto is one of those things we could wear on anything – heck, you can wear it over rubber shoes and it will probably taste delicious anyway. It’s usually made with fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil, but did you know you can actually make pesto with just about anything?
That’s right: green pesto can be made from just about anything. All you need is leafy herb, a nut of your choice, and salted grated cheese. This is a method that comes in handy when basil is out of season and pine nuts are out of season, or when you just have too much green lying around. I can’t pretend to be a ratio – this is a variation of a recipe I cut from a flyer many years ago – but they save me whenever I need to get rid of a lot of fresh herbs.
The base ratio is 1: 2: 2: 8 (1 part nuts, 2 parts butter, 2 parts grated cheese, 8 parts leaves or herbs), plus garlic, lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Let me demonstrate:
First, start with a few cloves of garlic . One or two will do. Beat it several times until you cut it.
Add 2 packaged cups of fresh leaves or herbs . Some snacks include basil, cilantro, kale, carrot tops, parsley, spinach, mint, arugula (or a mixture of something else).
Add 1/2 cup butter . I usually use extra virgin olive oil because I love the aroma, but you can experiment with any oil that tastes pleasant but mellow, such as avocado oil, flaxseed oil, or walnut oil.
Add 1/4 cup of your choice of nuts: pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, cashews… the options are endless. Toast them if you like.
Whisk and whisk in a food processor (a blender will work as a last resort) until smooth.
Add 1/2 cup of any grated cheese . In addition to Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, Asiago, Romano, Grana Padano or Roncal will do.
Whisk until cheese is combined. Add half a lemon and season with salt and pepper. Give it a try and ask yourself: Do you need more acid? More salt? More pepper? Do I want it thinner? (If so, just add some more oil.) Then you’re done!
Add it to whatever you like. Sure, it pairs well with pasta, but the pesto area also provides a fantastic burst of flavor, added to soups, tucked under chicken skin, or baked with fish fillets.
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