Kale Pesto
We have a really healthy crop of kale in our garden this summer, mostly because I have stopped trying to fight those dadgum cabbage moths that kept munching them down to the ribs last year. Instead, this year, I just loosely draped some netting over my second raised bed. You can see the bed in back from when I covered it in late spring this year in the photo below.
I also have broccoli in there that’s being rescued from the critters. Even though I’ve covered them, this year I have taken to running around the yard brandishing whatever weapon I can find and hunting those darn white moths down. I told Mr. Wonderful that I feel like I’ve become a cabbage moth serial killer. I have to remind myself often that they are not pretty white butterflies but the savage and greedy destroyers of my hard gardening work!
A few have still found their way back in, but for the most part, I am picking healthy stems almost daily!
Last night I whipped up a quick batch of kale pesto to stuff some Porterhouse pork chops with and it is so pretty and vibrant-green, I will probably freeze several batches of this for the winter as well!
You make it pretty much the same as other pestos and as I have a ton of basil as well (Three kinds this year including Osmin purple), I still added that in for flavor as well.
Just make sure you remove the kale stem (or ribs) before you use it. I just fold the entire thing at the stem and rip the kale off with my hands, but some people prefer to slice it off (while folded) with a knife.
Then toss all the ingredients into a food processor and whiz it up, drizzle in some olive oil and you’ve got some healthy kale pesto which you can use in a variety of ways. There are two cups of kale, one cup of basil, 1/2 cup of walnuts, one garlic clove and some salt and pepper along with one-fourth of a cup of olive oil (see the easy printable recipe at the bottom of the page!)
Spread it on toasted bread and sprinkle with some good shavings of cheese, mix it with your favorite pasta, toss it with roasted or grilled vegetables, or use it as the base for a vinaigrette and pour it over fresh tomatoes and cucumbers for a summer salad.
I’ll be posting the recipe for the stuffed Kale Pesto and Mushroom Stuffed Porterhouse Chops later this week, so stay tuned! (click here for the recipe).
Whatever way you use it, know that you’re getting some super health food additions to your diet! Eat more kale!
- 2 c. kale, stem removed and roughly chopped
- ½ c. walnuts
- 1 c. fresh basil leaves
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ c. parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ t. salt
- ¼ t. pepper
- ¼ c. olive oil
- Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until fairly small chunks are created of all
- Turn processor on and drizzle olive oil in tiny stream
- Consistency should be thick but spreadable
2 Comments
Stephanie
July 13, 2015 at 9:46 am
Katie
July 13, 2015 at 11:40 am