Monday, August 11, 2008

Messing with Pesto

According to Wikipedia, the word "pesto" is "the contracted past participle of pesta ('to pound, to crush', from the Latin root of work pestle)."  While I love the idea of pounding away with a mortar and pestle, I'm not willing to put in the elbow grease if it's not absolutely necessary. So, when I decided to experiment with different ingredients (for "experiment" read "cleaning out the fridge") to make pesto, I pulled out my mighty mini food processor.  

It's not as romantic as using a mortar and pestle but the end result is just as delicious, and I don't have to break a sweat.  I did try to make pesto with a mortar and pestle after seeing a recipe posted by David Lebovitz, but the novelty of pounding basil leaves wore off after the second cupful.  Needless to say, I sold out and finished adding the remaining 3 cups of basil using the mini food processor.  Since the following variations of pesto weren't made by pounding, I suppose I can't technically call them "pesto,"  but "cuisinarto" or "handheld-mixo" just doesn't have the same ring to it.  So, "pesto" it remains.  Sorry, Wikipedia.


Basil Pesto
Adapted from a recipe by David Lebovitz

Note:  For this recipe I used a blood orange infused olive oil I got from Stonehouse California Olive Oil Company.  It is so good I practically drink shots of it.

3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp sea salt
6 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
5 Tbsp blood orange infused olive oil
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1.  Place the garlic, basil, sea salt and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the basil leaves break down.  
2.  Add the Parmesan cheese and pine nuts and blend until all the ingredients resemble a smooth paste.
Yields about 1 cup


Wild Arugula Pesto

3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup fresh basil, loosely packed
4 cups wild arugula (baby arugula), loosely packed
5 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
6 walnut halves, toasted

1.  Follow the same steps as in the recipe above.
Yields about 1 cup



Mushroom Pesto

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 lb mushrooms (I used a mix of oyster, shitake and baby portobello)
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp almonds, toasted
6 halves walnut, toasted
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1.  Roughly chop the mushrooms and saute for about 2 minutes with the garlic and 1 Tbsp olive oil.
2.  Place in the bowl of a food processor with the nuts, olive oil and salt and pulse until pureed.
3.  Let cool then add the cheese and black pepper.
Yields about 1-1/4 cup