Nourishing Meals by Mackey McNeill
Garlic Mustard Pesto
Garlic mustard grows wild and comes up each spring in abundance. It is one of the first green plants to dot the roadside. It grows round, scallop-edged leaves on a tall stem.
Of course, if you’re in a rush, or not able to spend the afternoon foraging, you can substitute any green of your choosing and still wind up with a delicious and herbaceous treat.
3/4 cup grated cheese (parmesan, Romano, or asiago)
1/4 cup nuts (walnuts, pine nuts, or pecans are best)
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 cup garlic mustard leaves, washed with stems removed
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt to taste
In a food processor:
Grate cheese; set aside.
Change blade to the chopping blade. Add nuts and grind until a fine powder. (If you ever don’t have the exact quantity of nuts, you can substitute with just about anything. Use all of one type of nut, or a combination of many.)
Add garlic and garlic mustard leaves and pulse to mix. Add cheese, then add olive oil. I slowly drizzle the olive oil into the food processor while the chopping blade is moving. Keep an eye on the consistency to ensure it doesn’t get too thin. Sometimes you may need to adjust your quantity of olive oil. The mixture will form a thick paste. Add salt to taste.
Notes from Mackey:
I like to double this recipe and freeze some for later. The pesto is great as an appetizer with crackers or on top of spaghetti noodles or spaghetti squash. You will wow your guests.