Pea Shoot Pesto

Rather than a super-intense flavored pesto like you get from basil or arugula, pea shoot pesto is mild and delicious, and if you don’t overdo the cheese and olive oil, you can use it in quantity and get all the green goodness without too many calories. It takes just a moment to make with a food processor–I don’t bother with a recipe (surprise surprise), but here’s an ingredient list and the simple procedure to get you started. Soon, it will be part of your personal repertoire. 

Ingredients

1 package pea shoots
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 c. nuts (I like walnuts or pecans, toasted or not)
1/4c. grated cheese (an aged, salty cheese fits the bill nicely)
2-4T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Just pulse a clove or two of garlic and add in a package of shoots and a drizzle of olive oil. Pulse until the shoots make a paste. Add a handful of toasted (or raw) pecans, a similar amount of grated hard cheese (the tomme would be perfect here), and a generous sprinkle of sea salt and pepper and pulse again. Drizzle in a little more olive oil if it’s too dry, but it should be a fairly thick consistency if you are going to toss it with pasta or spaghetti squash (save a bit of the pasta water for thinning). Spread it on sandwiches, add it to yogurt for a dip with your sliced turnips and daikons, or mix it with roasted veggies, top soup or pizza with it, or layer it in a lasagna. It’s so versatile.