Saturday 15 August 2015

Kale and Walnut Pesto


I've said it before, but will repeat ... pesto can be made with anything!  Many combinations of greens and nuts work, and I've even made it with sun-dried tomatoes and pumpkin seeds.

So here's yet another delicious version that I've tried.  Many similar recipes called for the kale to be blanched first.  I chose not to as I generally lightly saute any pesto I'm using in a heated pan to warm it up before tossing it with pasta, potatoes or serving warm over eggs.  So I did not blanch it.  But I will say that when the heat first hit the kale pesto, I suddenly smelled cabbage!  It definitely needs a bit of heat to mellow out the bitterness, so if you prefer to blanch it, that's good.  But my method worked very well and seems easier.

And reading recipes calling for "1 bunch of kale" is useless to folks like me that grow kale in their backyard - what the heck is a bunch?  So I've measured mine here to help you out.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole walnuts
2-3 large cloves garlic (or less to taste - I love garlic)
4 cups (lightly packed) chopped Tuscan (Lacinato) Kale leaves
1/2 cup + of extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese (or other aged cheese), if desired*

*As noted in previous recipes, I never add the cheese.  Often I freeze it and would never add cheese in that case.  But even if I'm cooking it, I tend to just add the cheese to whatever dish I'm using it in.

In a food processor, process the walnuts and garlic until smooth.  Add the kale and begin to pulse.  It will soon get a bit thick to process.  At this point, start drizzling in olive oil.  You'll need at least a 1/4 cup just to get the processor moving smoothly, then continue to add olive oil until it reaches the consistency you want - you don't want it thick nor thin, somewhere in the middle.

I heated the pesto in a pan and tossed it with some shrimp and macaroni (just because that's all I had in the cupboard).  Not so pretty but tasted delicious!



7 comments:

  1. I always hate recipes that call for a bunch. Though I hate recipes that call for one carrot too. What volume is one carrot? I have small carrots and large carrots. So does the supermarket. I much prefer a recipe to have a weight measurement than anything else. Not that I actually follow recipes to a T but it is nice to know the starting point to diverge from.

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    1. Other than weight, nothing is clear. One cup chopped blah blah ... chopped how big, chopped before or after it fits in the cup. Fine for experienced cooks, but not easy for beginners.

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  2. I completely agree - I convert everything into weights and then go from there. I don't know why we in North America are so stuck on using cup/bunch or "large/small" measurements such as a large onion - I've had onions that weighed over a pound.

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  3. So agree Susie,
    Pesto certainly can be made with anything. I've had a kale once, long time ago, may give it another try this year as I do like my curly kale, I personally would find Tuscan kale too chewy in the raw, but who knows may give it a go. I see what you mean by 'bunch', I have to be honest, I am guilty of it - but I do it when measurements are not necessary, just go by taste and tweak as you go till it reaches to your satisfaction.

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    1. I am absolutely guilty of the same thing, it's just so easy in recipes. It's only when I try a new recipe and realize I have no idea how much of an ingredient to use!!

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  4. I've made pesto with a lot of things but never kale. This sounds awesome! I don't add cheese to my pesto anymore either. Sometimes it just doesn't need it, and then like you said you can always just add it to the dish itself.

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    1. I gave some to a friend who used it in a simple pasta salad. It's about as versatile as any other type of pesto!

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