Oh, how I love pesto. It used to be my go-to kitchen pleaser, but then it fell by the wayside as I got distracted by a growing collection of cookbooks. After remembering my pesto love during a day cooking with Chive, it has made a happy comeback in my kitchen. A super simple sauce that I want to smother on everything.
Simply arugula, lots of good olive oil, green garlic, pecorino (you could also use parmesan), sea salt, and a bit of pepper. Pesto is one of those things that you really should make to taste, playing with the quantities of each ingredient until it tastes just right, goldilocks style. One bunch of arugula may be spicier than the last, perhaps the garlic you’re using doesn’t have quite the kick you’re looking for, etc.
In a nutshell, combine all the ingredients in a food processor until well-blended. Be careful not to over-process, but add plenty of olive oil.
- Two bunches of arugula
- 3 stalks green garlic finely chopped (bulbs and a bit of the green part)
- Lots of olive oil to make that gushgush sounds in the food processor
- Keep on adding that sea salt, that pecorino, a dash of pepper
- Keep on tasting
Store in an airtight container, with a drizzle of fresh olive oil on top to prevent discoloring.
Smother it on chicken, fish, burgers, eggs, grilled cheese, pizza, pasta…really, almost anything savory could use a little pesto love! I seared then roasted Tendercrop chicken breast, roasted oyster and mini king trumpet mushrooms from the NH Mushroom Company in the fat from the chicken with green garlic (Middle Earth Farm), and sautéed turnips and their greens in a cast iron, super fresh from Plough in the Stars Farm. Roasted salad (or haruki) turnips are incredibly good. While I love them raw, roasting them gives them a tender juiciness that is just so good.
So very nice to have this fresh, fresh food available.
All things considered yummy 