Cilantro Pesto

I used cilantro pesto on a pizza base instead of the usual tomato sauce.  I painted the base with chili oil followed by a generous slather of cilantro pesto, cooked masala shrimp, slivers of peppers and mushrooms and finally a lot of shredded mozzarella cheese.  Easy and delicious.  


Unfortunately no picture as we were intent on eating and got side-tracked which often happens when I am preparing a blog about food.  My cilantro pesto recipe is good made with lime or lemon juice.  I like it as a dip or spread for corn tortilla chips.  You can also mix it with sour cream or yogurt for a dip or toss with hot pasta or rice like you would pesto Genovese.  The possibilities are endless really.


Below is a picture of a basket of cilantro I started in my office last February.  Next picture shows the same cilantro mature by June.  This is a good time to start your spring crop!

Cilantro seedlings growing in window around February

Same but mature cilantro outdoors in June

# volume	(# mL)	Ingredient
4 cup	1 litre	cilantro fresh
3		garlic, cloves
1 cup	250 ml	onion - your choice
5 Tbsp	90 ml	lemon or lime juice, fresh
1 tsp	5 ml	zest (peel) of lemon or lime
1/3 cup	85 ml	olive oil, extra virgin, cold pressed
½ cup	125 ml	almonds, dry roasted, unsalted
1/3 cup	85 ml	pumpkin seeds, hulled, roasted,   unsalted
½ tsp	2.5 ml	sea salt

METHOD:


1.  Soak the cilantro, roots and all, in plenty of cold water.  Agitate to remove dirt.  I find cilantro is usually pretty dirty.


2.  Cut the roots off and add to the food processor.  Top with the green cilantro tops and rest of ingredients.

Process until smooth. Use a whole bunch - mine was about 4 cups.  

Add the rest of the ingredients and process again.  I used the juice of two medium lemons.  Taste and adjust seasoning - does it need more salt, lemon/lime or olive oil?  Depends too on what you plan on using it for.

Nutrients (per 30 g - 2 Tbsp - 30 ml)

Calories	80
Protein (g)	1
Total Fat (g)	7
Saturated Fat (g)	1
Carbohydrate (g)	3
Fibre (g)	1
Cholesterol (mg)	0
Sodium (mg)	75
%DV
Calcium	2
Iron	2
Vitamin A	0
Vitamin C	8

Beauty night sky at Chapman's Landing

Asparagus Pesto

We've been enjoying local asparagus and here I have used it to make one of my favourites!  This pesto/pate/hummus like recipe is a favourite around our house. I love it because it is easy to make and you can do so many different things with it. The original recipe was from a dinner party I went to at Veronica Uzielli's years ago in Commanda. I modified it to be lower in fat but it still have great flavour.

INGREDIENTS:
15 x 30 ml (2 Tbsp) servings

1 1/2 lb (675 g)  asparagus, fresh
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice, fresh (if bottle use less)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) sunflower seeds, raw
2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, extra virgin, cold press
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) sea salt (to taste)
1 tsp (5 ml) black pepper, freshly ground
1/4 cup (60 ml) parmesan cheese, shredded

METHOD:
Remove woody ends from asparagus and steam for 3-4 minutes or until tender crisp. Combine asparagus with the rest of the ingredients in a food processor. Process into a semi smooth paste - how chunky you leave it is up to you. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with garden herbs and edible flowers like pansies. The pesto firms up when you refrigerate it. I tend to serve it right away while it is still warm. Leftovers keep in the fridge up to 4 days.

Note: Use asparagus pesto as a spread for your favourite bread, crackers, tortilla chips or toss with hot pasta.



Asparagus Pesto Pizza: Spread your favourite pizza crust with asparagus pesto. Slice mozzarella cheese ball into thin slices and arrange over crust. Add whole fresh leaf basil and red pepper around cheese slices. Finish with Parmesan cheese and crushed red chili pepper flakes. Bake in a very hot 500'F oven for 15 minutes or until top is golden and bubbling. For simplicity you can use tortillas or frozen dough or a ready-made crust. The tortillas will cook a lot faster.

NUTRITION FACTS (per 30 ml/2 Tbsp): 40 calories, 4.5 g fat, .5 g saturated fat, 105 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fibre, 1 g sugar, 1 g protein. % Daily Values: 2% vitamin A and calcium, 6% vitamin C, 4% iron.

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
http://nancyguppy.com/