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RCP: Basil Pesto with Pistachio Nut and Lemon

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Karen/NoCA

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RCP: Basil Pesto with Pistachio Nut and Lemon

by Karen/NoCA » Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:13 pm

Sorry, I typed with the wrong nut the first time.

This basil pesto is a little different in that I used pistachio nuts and fresh lemon juice. The flavor is bright and fresh for summer. Use it with pasta, roasted chicken or lamb, on sandwiches, fresh veggies and especially now on fresh sliced garden tomatoes. It is beautiful on the fabulous gold and yellow tomatoes. Look for them at Farmer's Markets.

Basil Pesto with Pistachio Nuts and Lemon

2 cups rinsed and spun dry fresh basil leaves. (Pack the leaves tightly into the measuring cup)
4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 of a jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup fruity, extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Pistachio nuts
3/4 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano Cheese
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put basil leaves, garlic and jalapeno into food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until basil and garlic are finely chopped, adding oil through the feed tube as you process. If needed, take the lid off the processor, and scrape down the sides of the processor bowl and the lid.

Add pistachio nuts, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice to the basil mixture and process 1 -2 more minutes, until the pesto is well mixed. Some like their pesto a little chunky, I like mine smooth.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, and pulse a few more times. Taste again.

Basil may be stored in the refrigerator in a glass storage container for about 5 days. Pesto can also be frozen, putting it into airtight containers, for several months. I like to spray an ice cube tray with non-stick spray, and fill each space with the pesto. When frozen, remove each cube to a freezer bag. You will be able to take out as many of the cubes as you need. Usually one cube, is enough for adding flavor to a red pasta sauce, or a pot of soup.
This makes about 1 1/2 cups pesto
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Rahsaan

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Re: RCP: Basil Pesto with Pistachio Nut and Lemon

by Rahsaan » Sun Aug 08, 2010 8:59 pm

Good idea. I was reading about pistachio pesto somewhere else and it just so happens that we have a ton of pistachios left over from a party. This will have to be made soon!
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Jenise

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Re: RCP: Basil Pesto with Pistachio Nut and Lemon

by Jenise » Mon Aug 09, 2010 9:57 am

One can make pesto with virtually any concentrated low-moisture green and just about any nut; your recipe is a nice reminder of that. Never would have thought to use pitachios! I like the inclusion of the jalapeno pepper, too.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP: Basil Pesto with Pistachio Nut and Lemon

by Karen/NoCA » Mon Aug 09, 2010 10:10 am

Jenise wrote:One can make pesto with virtually any concentrated low-moisture green and just about any nut; your recipe is a nice reminder of that. Never would have thought to use pitachios! I like the inclusion of the jalapeno pepper, too.

One of my favorite pestos uses cashew nuts.....very yummy. I also like it made with cilantro, and basil.
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Re: RCP: Basil Pesto with Pistachio Nut and Lemon

by Jenise » Mon Aug 09, 2010 10:44 am

Karen/NoCA wrote:
Jenise wrote:One can make pesto with virtually any concentrated low-moisture green and just about any nut; your recipe is a nice reminder of that. Never would have thought to use pitachios! I like the inclusion of the jalapeno pepper, too.

One of my favorite pestos uses cashew nuts.....very yummy. I also like it made with cilantro, and basil.


I made one once with mustard greens to serve on corned beef. We used to do ingredient-of-the-month stuff here and one March the ingredient was mustard. So I made ravioli with a corned beef stuffing that I put on plates with squares of steamed cabbage roughly the same size, reduced the pot liquor down to what could be turned into a creamy sauce studded with mustard seed and drizzled my mustard green pesto over that. No recipes--just all my ideas born out of the need to do something spectacular with mustard that popped up around the time of a silly-fun holiday. Always meant to repeat the meal, it was so good.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Lee Short

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Re: RCP: Basil Pesto with Pistachio Nut and Lemon

by Lee Short » Tue Aug 10, 2010 9:17 pm

Sounds great. When I read the title, my brain immediately thought of lemon zest rather than juice. I bet that works pretty well, too.

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