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.
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- best quality olive oil
- pine nuts
- pistachios
- blanched almonds
- 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.
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- best quality extra virgin olive oil
- coarsely chopped chives
- flat Italian parsley leaves
- 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.
- fresh oregano leaves
- crumbled feta cheese
- extra-virgin olive oil
- fresh basil leaves
- pine nuts
- 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.
- grated lime zest
- grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- extra-virgin olive oil
- fresh cilantro leaves
- shelled pistachios
- 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.
- apple cider
- vegetable oil
- ground black pepper
- water
- minced fresh thyme
- bay leaves
- minced fresh parsley