I LOVE pesto. The standard basil pesto is great, especially in late summer when the basil was grown in your own pot. But it is such a versatile sauce and can be made with practically anything green. My personal favorite is asparagus pesto, though I haven't made it yet this season. Tonight I made collard green pesto. I buy huge bunches of various greens every week and I try to find new yummy ways to use them up. This was definitely a winner.
Ingredients:
1 bunch collard greens (you could use any green- kale, chard & spinach would all be awesome), ribs removed and coarsely chopped
1/4 c flat leaf parsley
3 T pine nuts
1 clove garlic
1 T dried Parmesan, Romano, or cheese blend
salt & pepper
1/2 c olive oil
Heat pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant.
In a food processor, combine greens, parsley and garlic. Add pine nuts and cheese, processing until finely chopped. Slowly add olive oil while processing until sauce takes on a thick, creamy consistency.
Add salt & pepper to taste. Toss with hot whole grain pasta.
The greens are slightly bitter but are balanced by the pine nuts and cheese. This recipe is also pretty healthy considering it is mainly raw greens! And unlike typical pesto, it uses very little cheese. I really liked it- I thought it was fresh and light. Griffin did NOT and I had to make him macaroni and cheese. It's ok, he'll learn I'm sure!
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