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Sorrel Spinach Pesto

(recipe, Carrie Floyd)


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Introduction

Before I had sorrel in my yard, I used to skip over any reference to it in a recipe. If I didn't have it, and couldn't find it at the market, why torture myself? Then a friend gave me a plant, and I kicked myself for not planting it earlier. It is extremely easy to grow and winters over (at least in Portland); it's a lazy gardener's friend. I love the lemony tang it brings to salads, fritattas, soups, and sauces. This pesto is delicious tossed with pasta or slathered on a sandwich. If you don't have a sorrel source, feel free to substitute arugula in this recipe and add more lemon juice to taste.

Ingredients

  1. ½ cup raw unsalted pistachios
  2. 1½ cups packed sorrel leaves, stemmed if the leaves are large
  3. 1½ cups fresh spinach leaves, stemmed
  4. 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  5. ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  6. ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  7. Freshly ground black pepper
  8. 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  9. Salt

Steps

  1. Toast the pistachios on a baking sheet for 7 minutes at 400 degrees. Set aside to cool.
  2. Wash and thoroughly dry the sorrel and spinach leaves.
  3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the pistachios, sorrel, spinach, and garlic. Pulse until everything is chopped into little bits. Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream while the motor continues to run. Turn the motor off once all the olive oil is incorporated.
  4. Add the grated cheese, a couple of grinds of black pepper, and the lemon juice. Process briefly to combine, taste for salt, and season accordingly.
  5. Scrape the pesto into a bowl or container. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.