I love Pesto!! I love Pesto made from almost anything green. Arugula, Collards, Sorrel, and of course Basil.
This week I wanted some pesto and it is too early for basil and I ate my arugula so I found myself eyeing a bag of pea shoots in the vegetable bin and I also saw some green garlic lurking next to the pea shoots…that is about all I needed to make pesto; something green, garlic, and oil. If I have some nuts or seeds and hard cheese like Parmesan I use it, but it isn’t necessary.
This is what I had. Let’s make some pesto!
Pea Shoot and Green Garlic Pesto
- 1/3 of a cup of nuts or seeds. I had toasted walnuts
- About 3 cups of pea shoots
- Green garlic, I used about 1/3 cup
- 1/3 olive oil. You might want a little more
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup of hard cheese like Parmesan-optional
- salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
In a food processor or blender, combine nuts, pea shoots, Parmesan and garlic. Pulse until roughly chopped. Add salt. With motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Blend until well-combined and it is the thickness you like.
Scrape the pesto into a bowl and use immediately, or store in a jar with a thick covering of olive oil and use within three days. You can also freeze in ice cube trays or zip-lock bags. This makes a little more than a cup.
This pea shoot pesto was very different than any pesto I have made, or had before. Usually I think of pesto as a sort of a ‘punch in the face’ from strong flavored herbs like basil, arugula and sorrel and the garlic in most pesto is usually very hot.
This pea shoot pesto is pleasantly mild and grassy in a good way and the green garlic is very mild, both were really nice with the olive oil I used. I could taste all the ingredients, I really liked that.
I made a grilled cheese and pesto sandwich and also some pesto deviled eggs. I like to use pesto as a condiment like mayonnaise or ketchup.
Have a great week. I hope you are enjoying your CSA. Leave a comment or question if you have any.
It’s so great to see you all at pick-up, even if I can’t see your smile I can see your eyes and they speak volumes. We feel your support and gratitude and that means the world to us.
Be well.
Mo
Red Wagon Farm 
I’ve made pesto with lots of different greens but never pea shoots. Looks great.
We did this last night with pea shoots, green garlic and some sorrel all from week 2 pickup and it was excellent on pasta. Thanks for the inspiration!