Spring Pesto
(from largomason’s recipe box)
Pesto is defined as anything made by pounding. Traditionally pesto is made with basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. In this recipe, I’m combining the bounty of flavors that spring offers with this technique to blend ingredients into a sauce. Depending on what your farmers market or local grocery store have to offer, this recipe can be modified and designed to enhance any style of IPA that’s available to you. The herbs, greens, nuts and beer style can also be interchanged to highlight other flavors depending on how the sauce will be used.
This pesto is also very good for you. Dandelion greens are a great source of vitamins A, B6, C and K, as well as thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium and manganese. Along with the other ingredients in this pesto, this recipe is designed to be good for your liver and blood.
Source: https://www.beeradvocate.com/articles/13828/celebrate-spring-with-an-ipa-pesto/
Ingredients
- 1 bunch dandelion greens, washed and chopped
- 1 cup pea shoots, washed
- 1 cup Italian leaf parsley, washed, woody stems removed
- 1 cup baby arugula, washed
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds, shelled and raw
- 1 spring garlic, chopped (or 2–3 cloves peeled)
- 1 – 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup IPA or another hoppy brew, cold
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, with a grassy or peppery flavor
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Asiago, grated
Directions
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In a food processor, add the chopped up dandelion greens, pea shoots, parsley, arugula, pistachios (or other nuts or seeds), hemp seeds, spring garlic and salt. Attach the lid and pulse several times to grind down the greens and chop up the nuts or seeds. Add in the IPA (or other hoppy brew) and pulse until a paste starts to form. Then slowly add the olive oil, followed by the Parmesan cheese (which vegans can omit and replace with a few tablespoons of white miso). Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and continue to pulse until the sauce is a uniform color and no longer chunky, but not smooth either.
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Transfer the Spring Pesto to a sealable jar and refrigerate until ready to use. It will last up to a week, sealed. It can also be frozen in ice cube trays and sealed in a freezer bag for use later.