Best Kale And Green Pea Pesto Recipes

KALE AND GREEN PEA PESTO

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan (use one with a lid--you'll need it in a minute).
• Add and cook the kale on medium heat until it just begins to get tender, then add the minced garlic and cook 1 more minute until garlic becomes fragrant.
• Now add the peas, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, stir well, then add the lemon juice, a splash of water, and cover the pan.
• Once the peas are warmed through, turn off the heat and uncover.
• Carefully pour your cooked veggies into your food processor and pulse several times. Begin processing (lowest speed if you happen to have options), adding additional olive oil in a thin stream as necessary to achieve your desired consistency. If I have it around, I like to use the liquid from a jar of good olives at this point instead of the olive oil: it's up to you.
• Once you've reached a smooth consistency you're happy with, taste the pesto for seasoning. Add more salt/lemon juice/pepper as desired, pulse to combine, then you're done and ready to use your pesto!

KALE-SAUCE PASTA

Steps:

• Put a large pot of generously salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil. In a small skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic, and cook until the garlic begins to sizzle. Reduce heat to low, and cook very gently until garlic is soft and begins to turn light gold, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• When water is boiling, add kale leaves, and cook until tender, but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Pull out the hot, dripping kale leaves with tongs, and put directly into a blender. (Don't drain the pot; you'll use that same boiling water to cook the pasta.) Add garlic and its oil to the blender, along with a splash of hot water from the pot if you need some more liquid to get the blender going. Blend into a fine, thick green purée. Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, then blend again.
• Add the pasta to the still-boiling water, and cook according to directions on the package. Ladle out about a cup of the water to save for finishing the dish, then drain the pasta and return it to the dry pot. Add the kale purée, about 3/4 of the grated cheese and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss until all the pasta is well coated and bright green, adding another splash of pasta water if needed so that the sauce is loose and almost creamy in texture. Serve in bowls right away, and top with an extra drizzle of olive oil and the rest of the grated cheese.