I finally got a food processor last week and could not wait to use it. I found a pesto recipe in Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food, but it called for basil and pine nuts (two ingredients for a traditional pesto). I, of course, had neither of those, so I began exploring alternatives. I came up with a Cilantro Pesto, which sounds a bit unorthodox, but it was quite the crowd pleaser (and by crowd, I mean, my boyfriend and I, but who’s counting?).
Recipe
You’ll Need:
food processor
1 bunch of cilantro, to yield about 1 lightly packed cup
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Process:
1. Grind pecans and garlic cloves in food processor until they are fully. pulverized.
2. Making sure that you’ve fully removed and discarded the stems, add cilantro leaves to food processor and grind until fully pulverized.
3. Add olive oil & Parmesan cheese to the processor and grind until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
4. Enjoy.
*tip: the pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also make a large batch and freeze the unused portion.
So far, I’ve put the sauce on pasta and on another occasion, atop poached eggs (the way a hollandaise works for eggs benedict). The results have always been delicious.
xx,
Laura
Bon Goût 