10-11 oz (300g) baby kale, spinach, chard mix (any combination)
1-2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 cup (70g) pine nuts
20g parmesan, thinly sliced or grated
Zest of 1 lemon
2-3 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
1/4 cup (54g) olive oil
Instructions
Set a large pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the greens and the garlic (if you want a stronger garlic flavor, reserve the garlic for later). Cover. Cook, until the greens start to wilt, 1-2 minutes. Uncover and cook stirring constantly until wilted. Season with salt and remove to a plate with all the juices to cool to at least lukewarm or room temperature.
Put the greens into the food processor. If you haven’t added garlic during the cooking stage, add it now. Add the pine nuts, parmesan, lemon zest and juice, pomegranate molasses (if using), and a pinch of salt. Puree to a coarse texture. With the food processor running, pour in ¼ cup of olive oil and puree until it looks like pesto. Taste and correct for salt and acidity. Can be used immediately or refrigerated for a couple of days.
This makes enough pesto for 2 Lbs of pasta (2 standard boxes) or 2-3 lb of some protein (like fish or chicken).
Where we cook with heart and science. Besides making cooking videos on youtube, I run a brick and mortar cooking school in my house in Natick, MA (30 min from Boston). The topics of my classes and videos include Knife Skills, Fish, Meat, Poultry, Sauces, Orgasmic Vegetables, Beans, Grains, Pies, Tarts, French Pastry, Pizza, Pasta, Grilling, and more.