Makes enough sauce for one pound of pasta.
The nuts in this recipe are unsalted. If you are using salted nuts, reduce the salt in the recipe by half and carefully adjust the seasonings once the cheese is added.
These pestos will keep in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil covering the surface for a day, or at the most two days, before losing their very fresh flavor. They should be tossed with piping hot pasta with a few tablespoons of pasta water added, if needed.
The sauces are also quite good over boiled or steamed potatoes, grilled fish or chicken.
- blanched almonds
- pistachios
- pine nuts
- best quality olive oil
- salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Makes enough sauce for one pound of pasta.
I particularly like this pesto in spring when the strong flavor of chives is a great winter-ending tonic.
These pestos will keep in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil covering the surface for a day, or at the most two days, before losing their very fresh flavor. They should be tossed with piping hot pasta with a few tablespoons of pasta water added, if needed.
The sauces are also quite good over boiled or steamed potatoes, grilled fish or chicken.
- flat Italian parsley leaves
- coarsely chopped chives
- best quality extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Makes enough sauce for 4 steaks
Use low-sodium broth and unsalted butter in this recipe or the reduced sauce may be too salty. See related content for a Cooking Lesson on pan-searing steak.
- red wine
- brown sugar
- low-sodium beef broth
- Salt and pepper
MAKES ABOUT 1/4 CUP
A quick pan sauce for pan-seared steaks.
- fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
- minced fresh parsley leaves
- Salt and ground black pepper
Makes 3/4 cup pesto, enough for 1 pound of pasta
Use medium-sized garlic cloves. Thoroughly dry the arugula and basil leaves before processing them (as oil and water don’t mix). You may associate pesto with pasta, but it’s also good in a sandwich, on fish, or stirred into soup.
- pine nuts
- baby arugula
- fresh parsley leaves
- extra-virgin olive oil
- grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
Makes 3/4 cup pesto, enough for 1 pound of pasta
Use medium-sized garlic cloves. Thoroughly dry the parsley leaves before processing them (as oil and water don’t mix). You may associate pesto with pasta, but it’s also good in a sandwich, on fish, or stirred into soup.
- slivered almonds
- fresh parsley leaves
- extra-virgin olive oil
- grated Parmesan cheese
- red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Makes 3/4 cup pesto, enough for 1 pound of pasta
Use medium-sized garlic cloves. Thoroughly dry the basil leaves before processing them (as oil and water don’t mix). You may associate pesto with pasta, but it’s also good in a sandwich, on fish, or stirred into soup.
- pine nuts
- fresh basil leaves
- extra-virgin olive oil
- crumbled feta cheese
- fresh oregano leaves
- grated lemon zest
- lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
Makes 3/4 cup pesto, enough for 1 pound of pasta
Use medium-sized garlic cloves. Thoroughly dry the cilantro leaves before processing them (as oil and water don’t mix). You may associate pesto with pasta, but it’s also good in a sandwich, on fish, or stirred into soup.
- shelled pistachios
- fresh cilantro leaves
- extra-virgin olive oil
- grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- grated lime zest
- lime juice
- Salt and pepper
Makes 3/4 cup pesto, enough for 1 pound of pasta
Use medium-sized garlic cloves. Thoroughly dry the basil leaves before processing them (as oil and water don’t mix). You may associate pesto with pasta, but it’s also good in a sandwich, on fish, or stirred into soup.
- pine nuts
- fresh basil leaves
- extra-virgin olive oil
- grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
SERVES 4
Serve smothered chops with a starch to soak up the rich gravy. Simple egg noodles were the test kitchen favorite, but rice or mashed potatoes also taste great.
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- apple cider
- vegetable oil
- ground black pepper
- table salt
- water
- minced fresh thyme
- bay leaves
- minced fresh parsley