WALNUT AND PARSLEY PESTO

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image



Walnut and Parsley Pesto image

I hope this walnut and parsley version serves as a reminder that 'pesto' is not a recipe, but a technique. The buttery walnuts temper the fire of the mashed garlic and pair beautifully with the aromatic, bittersweet parsley. Use on toasted bread, pizza or pasta, or on roasted chicken--it's that versatile!

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Appetizers and Snacks     Dips and Spreads Recipes

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 7

4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 large pinch kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ cup chopped raw walnuts
½ cup chopped Italian parsley
Juice from one lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
water, if needed

Steps:

  • Place garlic and salt in a mortar; smash and mash with the pestle until it becomes a paste, 5 to 8 minutes. Add walnuts; mash walnuts into a paste until you reach your desired texture (coarse or smoother), another 5 to 8 minutes. Add parsley and mash to break up and blend with the walnut/garlic mixture, about 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and olive oil; stir, mash, and emulsify liquids into the mixture until it becomes very thick and well blended, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. If mixture seems too thick, whisk in a tablespoon of water, or as needed.
  • Spread on bread, use on pizza or pasta, or on roasted chicken. The taste is just like garlic butter, so use it as such.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 84.9 calories, Carbohydrate 2.4 g, Fat 8.3 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 1.4 g, SaturatedFat 0.9 g, Sodium 77.6 mg, Sugar 0.4 g

There are no comments yet!