Vegan Pesto
As my family receives what feels like endless amounts of greens from our CSA I have vastly expanded the definition of pesto beyond basil. So far I’ve made arugula pesto, basil parsley pesto, and last night, cilantro pesto. I love pesto because it’s easy to make, and gives you a fresh splash of greens that can be added to pasta, grains, avocado toast and crackers to name a few. I offer you this recipe, but really it is best to use it only as a guide. This is one of those things that its best to play with until you get the taste and consistency you want.
• 2 garlic cloves, cut in half, green shoots removed
• 2 heaped tablespoons nuts: either walnuts or pine nuts
• 2 cups of fresh herbs or greens- you choose: basil, parsley, cilantro, arugula leaves, stemmed and washed, tightly packed. Choose one herb or a combination of all.
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ to ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• Optional, 1-2 teaspoons sweet white miso -—miso is a vegan alternative to parmesan cheese
1. Using cuisenart, chop garlic. The garlic usually stick to the sides. Stop cuisenart, scrape the garlic down, add nuts and blend until finely ground.
2. Add the 2 cups of herbs and greens mix and salt. Pulse until the it is finely chopped.
3. Keep cuisenart running and drizzle in the olive oil, adding enough oil that the everything blends in well. You might need a bit of extra olive oil to do this. Stop machine and taste.
4. Depending on the freshness of the greens and the nuts you might be satisfied with the taste at this point. If not add 1 teaspoon of miso and taste. You can add more miso if needed.
5. Use immediately, or store or freeze in an air tight jar.
