Pesto, Nettle Pesto, Dandelion pesto

Pesto, Pesto, Pesto

After spending the last few weeks making a selling my wild garlic pesto, I started to think what else could I forage and make in to pesto so here are some of the best so far hope you enjoy as much as me

Gibney’s Nettle Pesto

Ingredients:

100g stinging nettles, blanched and chopped

50g cup Parmesan

50g cup Almonds, roasted

4-5 large garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 cup olive oil (depending on how you like the consistency)

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1.   Blanche nettles for a minute in boiling water.

2.   Remove to a salad spinner and shake off excess water,

3.   Then ball up your nettles and give one good squeeze to wring out more water.

4.   Add nettles to food processor, along with roasted almonds (or walnuts, if you prefer), garlic cloves, lemon juice, and seasoning.

5.   Pour half of the olive oil in and...Blitz. Pour the rest of the oil in. Blitz again, until your preferred consistency.

6.   Last fold in your grated parmesan and check seasoning

7.   Put into sterile jars cover with more oil to keep out the air  

Note the nettles must be blanched to remove the sting and don’t forget your gloves when picking, marigold washing up gloves are perfect and only use the top 6-8 leaves .

Dandelions are a great wild food to start with as there are no nasties that look the same so no mistakes can happen .So this next one is pretty much the same as the nettle pesto just one or two changes

Garden  Dandelion Pesto

Ingredients:

1.   100g dandelion leaves, well-rinsed and dried (pick the younger leaves)

2.   25g fresh basil leaves

3.   2 garlic cloves

4.   50g lightly toasted hazelnuts (skins removed), or toasted almonds, pine nuts, or walnuts

5.   1/2 cup olive oil

6.   50g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)

7.   sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1.   Add dandelions leaves to food processor, along with roasted almonds (or walnuts, or whatever nuts you prefer), garlic cloves, basil leaves and seasoning.

2.   Pour half of the olive oil in and...Blitz. Pour the rest of the oil in. Blitz again, until your preferred consistency.

3.   Last fold in your grated parmesan and check seasoning

4.   Put into sterile jars cover with more oil to keep out the air

With spring kicking off it’s fun to try something a bit different before the bounty from the garden is ready, Let me know How you get on and what you use the pesto on.