Give me your best pesto!
September 12, 2011 1:12 PM Subscribe
I have recently discovered green pea pesto and cilantro pesto. Both are amazingly delicious! What are some other non-traditional pesto recipes that will make my taste buds sing?
if you have the buds for it - Sage Pesto
posted by any major dude at 1:20 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by any major dude at 1:20 PM on September 12, 2011
Best answer: Asparagus pesto (accompanying article).
posted by col_pogo at 1:22 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by col_pogo at 1:22 PM on September 12, 2011
Best answer: Arugula pesto. Make with a hearty nut like walnuts, something that can stand up to the arugula.
posted by Salieri at 1:22 PM on September 12, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Salieri at 1:22 PM on September 12, 2011 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Garlic scape pesto! It's hard to find garlic scapes unless you know someone who grows garlic, though.
posted by kprincehouse at 1:24 PM on September 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by kprincehouse at 1:24 PM on September 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
i second kprincehouse. garlic scape pesto is the best!
posted by thatgirld at 1:30 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by thatgirld at 1:30 PM on September 12, 2011
Another vote for arugula pesto. Delicious.
posted by deeaytch at 1:34 PM on September 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by deeaytch at 1:34 PM on September 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Roasted red peppers and sundried tomatoes are pretty common pesto variants.
posted by padraigin at 1:37 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by padraigin at 1:37 PM on September 12, 2011
for the posters above: Do you have recipes for those? They sound great but I'd not be sure what to leave out from a usual pesto recipe (or really what to put into a pesto, but that's beside the point).
posted by kg at 1:44 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by kg at 1:44 PM on September 12, 2011
Parsley, rocket (arugula) and parsely pesto with sun-dried tomatoes. But I've always thought the joy of standard pesto is it's pretty much unimprovable on. Also, if you make your own (pestle and mortar, never a blender) it's so much better.
posted by rhymer at 1:47 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by rhymer at 1:47 PM on September 12, 2011
For sundried tomato at work we use a little bit of basil, sundried tomatos, garlic, salt, pepper, and oil.
posted by theichibun at 1:52 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by theichibun at 1:52 PM on September 12, 2011
Seconding kg: recipes, please!
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 1:53 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 1:53 PM on September 12, 2011
i'm a huge fan of this collard green pesto (plus, do you have any idea how amazingly healthy collards are?!)
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Collard-Green-Olive-Pesto-109229
posted by juliapangolin at 1:54 PM on September 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Collard-Green-Olive-Pesto-109229
posted by juliapangolin at 1:54 PM on September 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Dill pesto and tarragon pesto. Both terrific on grilled fish or chicken and more --
posted by vers at 2:02 PM on September 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by vers at 2:02 PM on September 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Use the leaves off of celery! It's fucking awesome.
posted by milkrate at 2:10 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by milkrate at 2:10 PM on September 12, 2011
Moe's Pesto
.5 c oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
3 c fresh basil
3 garlic cloves
.5 c freshly grated Romano
.5 c pine nuts
.5 c olive oil
salt and pepper
Drain and chop tomatoes. Process with basil and garlic in a food processor, pulsing until coarse. Add cheese and pine nuts with .25 c oil and pulse 10 sec.
With the motor running, add remaining oil. Scrape and pulse until well combined. Season to taste.
---
I don't even know who Moe is (some relative of a friend), but he has got it going on, pesto-wise. I can gobble that shit up. I like using the oil the tomatoes are kept in, as long as there's enough to cover what's left in the jar. Make a batch, heat it over medium-low and stir in some cream before tossing it with pasta and holy hell, you've got a meal.
I would also not be against trying edamame pesto.
posted by therewolf at 2:35 PM on September 12, 2011 [4 favorites]
.5 c oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
3 c fresh basil
3 garlic cloves
.5 c freshly grated Romano
.5 c pine nuts
.5 c olive oil
salt and pepper
Drain and chop tomatoes. Process with basil and garlic in a food processor, pulsing until coarse. Add cheese and pine nuts with .25 c oil and pulse 10 sec.
With the motor running, add remaining oil. Scrape and pulse until well combined. Season to taste.
---
I don't even know who Moe is (some relative of a friend), but he has got it going on, pesto-wise. I can gobble that shit up. I like using the oil the tomatoes are kept in, as long as there's enough to cover what's left in the jar. Make a batch, heat it over medium-low and stir in some cream before tossing it with pasta and holy hell, you've got a meal.
I would also not be against trying edamame pesto.
posted by therewolf at 2:35 PM on September 12, 2011 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Saveur recently did a whole issue on pesto. Here's a link to a search on their site with recipes and everything. They post all their recipes online these days.
posted by Gilbert at 2:37 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by Gilbert at 2:37 PM on September 12, 2011
Best answer: I would also not be against trying edamame pesto.
It's good. My wife and I make it based on a recipe from Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskovitz. We like it, and have been complimented on it when we've taken it to potlucks or whatever.
posted by LionIndex at 3:15 PM on September 12, 2011
It's good. My wife and I make it based on a recipe from Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskovitz. We like it, and have been complimented on it when we've taken it to potlucks or whatever.
posted by LionIndex at 3:15 PM on September 12, 2011
Best answer: Broccoli Pesto. Watch out for the garlic - I put in probably too much, and it was pretty powerful, and made me super thirsty. (On the plus side, I was safe from vampires the whole weekend!)ide, I was safe from vampires the whole weekend!)
posted by Cheese Monster at 3:46 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by Cheese Monster at 3:46 PM on September 12, 2011
Raddichio pesto, as well as nth-ing the suggestion for arugula. For the raddicchio, I either use walnuts or the usual pesto ingredients with a dash of nutmeg.
posted by romakimmy at 4:01 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by romakimmy at 4:01 PM on September 12, 2011
Hit post too soon: Sicilian pesto & Fava bean pesto (links in Italian) are also in my recipe notebook.
posted by romakimmy at 4:09 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by romakimmy at 4:09 PM on September 12, 2011
This This orange almond pesto is delicious and a terrific twist.
posted by smoke at 5:00 PM on September 12, 2011
posted by smoke at 5:00 PM on September 12, 2011
for the posters above: Do you have recipes for those? They sound great but I'd not be sure what to leave out from a usual pesto recipe (or really what to put into a pesto, but that's beside the point).
I've never followed a recipe more specifically than this, and I've never even heard of bad pesto:
whatever (basil, dill, artichoke, arugula, any of the suggestions here)
some garlic
a good amount of olive oil
nuts, usually pine. not too much... don't go crazy.
Basil is the usual main flavor in pesto, we're talking here about substituting things for basil.
Stick all that stuff in a blender or food processor and blend it, adding olive oil until it's more goopy than clumpy. You'll use more than it seems like you would, but it's okay. It's still good for you. Mix in some finely grated parmesan. All of this is to taste, really.
I do it in large batches, put the extra in a gallon freezer bag and lay it in the freezer so it's flat. When it's frozen I take it out and break it before putting it back in the bag and in the freezer, so I can just pull out a chunk and use it whenever something needs pestoing.
I've seen it said that you should't put the cheese in yet if you're going to freeze it, but I can't tell that there's any difference.
posted by cmoj at 5:03 PM on September 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
I've never followed a recipe more specifically than this, and I've never even heard of bad pesto:
whatever (basil, dill, artichoke, arugula, any of the suggestions here)
some garlic
a good amount of olive oil
nuts, usually pine. not too much... don't go crazy.
Basil is the usual main flavor in pesto, we're talking here about substituting things for basil.
Stick all that stuff in a blender or food processor and blend it, adding olive oil until it's more goopy than clumpy. You'll use more than it seems like you would, but it's okay. It's still good for you. Mix in some finely grated parmesan. All of this is to taste, really.
I do it in large batches, put the extra in a gallon freezer bag and lay it in the freezer so it's flat. When it's frozen I take it out and break it before putting it back in the bag and in the freezer, so I can just pull out a chunk and use it whenever something needs pestoing.
I've seen it said that you should't put the cheese in yet if you're going to freeze it, but I can't tell that there's any difference.
posted by cmoj at 5:03 PM on September 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
Also, I find it acceptable to skip the nuts if you don't have any.
Also, you can use any hard cheese, but depending on what you use you might need salt.
posted by cmoj at 5:06 PM on September 12, 2011
Also, you can use any hard cheese, but depending on what you use you might need salt.
posted by cmoj at 5:06 PM on September 12, 2011
whoa all the above sound great. Also, I like to sub walnuts or soaked pepitas for the pinenuts.
posted by abirdinthehand at 6:00 PM on September 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by abirdinthehand at 6:00 PM on September 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
I usually use basil, and my pesto is pretty standard, although I use roasted garlic instead of minced fresh. Take a whole head of garlic, slice off the bottom, and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast it at about 350 for forty-five minutes. It's good for so many things, you might just roast a bunch at one time.
Anyway, big handful of basil, whole roasted head of garlic, toasted pine nuts, as much black pepper as you can stand, and about a 1/4cup of parmesan. With parmesan, you shouldn't need to much extra salt, as cmoj mentioned. Pulse it with 1/4 cup of olive oil. It's great as is dumped on fresh pasta, or you can put it in a saucepan with some cream and warm it until the cream begins to thicken for a creamy pesto. Either way, it works great with some herby sliced sausage and sauteed mushrooms.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:53 PM on September 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Anyway, big handful of basil, whole roasted head of garlic, toasted pine nuts, as much black pepper as you can stand, and about a 1/4cup of parmesan. With parmesan, you shouldn't need to much extra salt, as cmoj mentioned. Pulse it with 1/4 cup of olive oil. It's great as is dumped on fresh pasta, or you can put it in a saucepan with some cream and warm it until the cream begins to thicken for a creamy pesto. Either way, it works great with some herby sliced sausage and sauteed mushrooms.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:53 PM on September 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
I forgot to mention that this spring I got carrots from my CSA complete with the greens. I didn't know what to do with the carrot tops so I made pesto out of them. That's pretty much my standard practice for hey-I-have-these-extra-green-things these days. If it's in my kitchen and sits still long enough, I will throw it in a food processor with olive oil, garlic, toasted nuts, parmesan and a bit of salt.
(I've heard various rumors about the toxicity of carrot tops, but I lived to tell the tale. There's a single data point for you.)
I second those above who mention freezing it. I have multiple batches in my freezer - just make it sans the parmesan (which I add in after it thaws) and you'll have pesto year-round.
I may or may not have a pesto addiction.
posted by Salieri at 10:05 PM on September 12, 2011
(I've heard various rumors about the toxicity of carrot tops, but I lived to tell the tale. There's a single data point for you.)
I second those above who mention freezing it. I have multiple batches in my freezer - just make it sans the parmesan (which I add in after it thaws) and you'll have pesto year-round.
I may or may not have a pesto addiction.
posted by Salieri at 10:05 PM on September 12, 2011
I like dried/roasted tomato pesto with almonds (hazelnuts would work) and lots of fresh oregano, flowering is best. If you use commercial dried tomatoes, see if they use capers -- that makes a big difference. Capers are a bit salty, a bit acid, but very strong in flavor. I leave out the cheese, add it on serving, as cheese is an ingedient that will cause your pesto to mold. So:
dried tomatoes -- cut meaty (Roma-type) tomatoes in half. Put the pulp and seeds in a strainer. Use any juice for sauce or something. Put the tomato halves on a greased (olive oil!) sheet pan. Sprinkle with some salt, I like medium-grain sea salt. If you have fresh oregano (and if you have any garden space, why not?) throw a bunch of chopped oregano around the tomatoes. And/or on them. It's all good. Otherwise use dried. Stick them in a slow oven, say 200 - 250 F. for a while. (Time depends on the moisture in the tomatoes.) Maybe an hour. Maybe two.
Pesto -- possible proportions: 1 part nuts to 4 parts tomatoes. You can use less of either ingredient. Chop almonds (or hazelnuts) in a food processor until they are, oh, peppercorn size. Add tomatoes, oregano, perhaps more oregano (depending on the strength of what you have which varies with sun, etc.), a tablespoon or so of capers, salt (maybe -- taste it first!), then enough olive oil to make it the proper consistency for whatever you like. Add the oil in batches. Look at it. Taste it. If you want, you can add garlic to the almonds. Some people don't like that.
Cooking is not recipes. Keep trying and you will find the proper method for you.
posted by CCBC at 4:10 AM on September 13, 2011
dried tomatoes -- cut meaty (Roma-type) tomatoes in half. Put the pulp and seeds in a strainer. Use any juice for sauce or something. Put the tomato halves on a greased (olive oil!) sheet pan. Sprinkle with some salt, I like medium-grain sea salt. If you have fresh oregano (and if you have any garden space, why not?) throw a bunch of chopped oregano around the tomatoes. And/or on them. It's all good. Otherwise use dried. Stick them in a slow oven, say 200 - 250 F. for a while. (Time depends on the moisture in the tomatoes.) Maybe an hour. Maybe two.
Pesto -- possible proportions: 1 part nuts to 4 parts tomatoes. You can use less of either ingredient. Chop almonds (or hazelnuts) in a food processor until they are, oh, peppercorn size. Add tomatoes, oregano, perhaps more oregano (depending on the strength of what you have which varies with sun, etc.), a tablespoon or so of capers, salt (maybe -- taste it first!), then enough olive oil to make it the proper consistency for whatever you like. Add the oil in batches. Look at it. Taste it. If you want, you can add garlic to the almonds. Some people don't like that.
Cooking is not recipes. Keep trying and you will find the proper method for you.
posted by CCBC at 4:10 AM on September 13, 2011
2nding scape pesto and also ramp pesto ( a wild leek that is harvested in the spring in the northeast)
posted by alkupe at 7:41 AM on September 13, 2011
posted by alkupe at 7:41 AM on September 13, 2011
Seconding arugula, scape and parsley pesto. I've made all three and they all make a nice change from the traditional basil.
posted by Decani at 9:22 AM on September 13, 2011
posted by Decani at 9:22 AM on September 13, 2011
I make parsley pesto with pecans. I use about 7/8's cup of olive oil, a bunch of parsley - leaves only, no stems, 1/2 tsp salt, a clove of garlic, 3 Tbls dried basil, 1/4 Cup pecans and 1/2 cup parm. There's never enough left over to freeze.
posted by jvilter at 4:02 PM on September 13, 2011
posted by jvilter at 4:02 PM on September 13, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
I'm thinking you could pesto pretty much anything with a strong flavor. Lemon zest pesto!
posted by cmoj at 1:20 PM on September 12, 2011