Chaos Pesto
I am a big fan of pesto. It’’s bright, it’s earthy, and oh so versatile. You can dip bread in it, use it as a smear on a sandwich, marinade in it, or use it as a sauce on pasta. You can even make it extra fancy by turning that pesto into creamy pesto with a little cream.
But the thing with pesto, is the stuff at the store is garbage (I said what I said). The only real possibility for me was making my own. Basil I have covered, this stuff is growing a mile a minute over here, and I am doing my best to pinch any flowers back so the plants can focus on leaf production.
I feel like a green witch with all this basil
The rub with making pesto is it can be expensive to buy pine nuts, more over, who actually has pine nuts just lying around their house in a large quantity? So this means to make pesto, it also requires a special trip to the grocery store.
I wanted to change that.
I decided to do an experiment. Can I just use the nuts I have at home and see how it turns out? The result? It was still delicious.
Hence this recipe for chaos pesto. This recipe is about ratios, and giving you the power to use the types of herbs and nuts you have around your house. It’s about the method, not the ingredients.
Moreover, this isn’t about a perfect flavor combination or making it the “optimal way.” I like to image it as pesto that captures a moment in time. Was it a season of loads of basil? Or did you have some dill, parsley or mint in the mix? Were you eating walnuts, or almonds, or pecans in your house? Whatever your circumstance, let that come through in your pesto.
Let it be fluid, and let it be yours.
Serving size 2 T. Makes ~1.5 cups, or 12 servings.
Calories ~ 190 kcal. Fat: ~ 19g. Protein: ~5g.
Ingredients
4 parts herbs. (2 cups) Could be all soft herbs like basil, parsley, or cilantro. Or it could be 90% soft and 10% bold herbs, like rosemary, sage, or oregano. If you mostly want the flavor of traditional pesto, use at least 80% soft Genovese basil
1.5 parts cheese (3/4 cup). Parmesan is the go to, but if you are a pecorino household, and want a funkier pesto, give that a try.
1 part nuts. (1/2 cup) Go wild here. Almonds, walnuts, pinenuts, pecans, sunflower seeds. Mix and match.
1 part (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
2+ garlic cloves. This is personal preference and depends on vampire proximity.
.5 parts ( ¼ cup) lemon juice. Again, opportunity to add more if you like that bright lemon flavoring
½ t salt
¼ t black pepper
If you really want chaos
Sub 10% of your herb mixture for leafy greens
Add in red pepper flake
Instructions
Pull herb leaves from stems. Gently rise and dry. This is a great opportunity for your salad spinner to get to work.
Dice your garlic cloves. This helps with even blending.
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Mix until you have a consistent sauce.
Taste and adjust flavor as needed. If it feels flat, try adding a bit more lemon juice or salt. The acid and salt will help bring out the flavor.
Transfer to air tight container. Stores great in the freezer for up to three months. I recommend portioning it beforehand so that it makes use easier.
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