Pesto Dedicated to Someone I Love...

I have the best friends. Today one of them came over to visit me in my new place, and as she was leaving, she shared with me how happy she was that I finally found my home. I could see that she had been with me through my long wait (and near misstep into taking the wrong apartment). She is a true friend.

These are the people I live for and love most to cook for and with. Pardon my ending a sentence with a preposition, but it's true.

So here it is. Pesto. 

• Basil (about 4 ounces, or one large bunch)
• Olive Oil (up to 1/2C)
• Garlic (2 cloves)
• Lemon Juice (about 1T to taste)
• S&P
• Parmigiano reggiano (about 1/4C)
• Toasted Pine Nuts (about 1/4C) 

If making a large batch, use a Cuisinart or blender. A mini-prep works great for smaller batches. 
Pick leaves off stems. Wash & dry leaves if they're noticably dirty. You don't want grit it your pesto.
Toast pine nuts in a dry pan on the stove. Don't walk away. They go from 0-60 in no time. 
Stuff the leaves into the blender/food processor. Add the garlic, pine nuts, parm, about 1/2 the oil, and about 1/2 the lemon juice. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and pepper. 
Blend until chopped up. Stop and scrape down the sides, and blend again until pesto-like. 
Add more oil to make the right consistency. You can also add a tiny bit of water. 
Adjust the lemon juice salt & pepper to taste.
Serve immediately. Store in the fridge in an airtight glass container for up to one week, or freeze in ice cube trays for easy use later. 

Recommended uses:
Roasted Potatoes with Pesto (great hot or cold)
Grilled Vegetables and Fish
Homemade Gnocchi with Pesto & Goat Cheese 
Pizza! 

A mini-prep is ideal for small batches of pesto and other quick sauces and salsas.

The mini-prep blade is designed to rotate clockwise on one speed, and counterclockwise on the other, helping to incorporate ingredients.

Борщ!

On a chilly March weekend several years ago, my posse gathered at Haypress Campground for Lauren Fiel's birthday. Recent rains turned trails to rivers, and by the time we pitched camp we were ready for a nice hot communal meal. I brought a few jars of my Mom's (now famous) borscht, and with it gained a new crop of Russian soup evangelists. 

Just as it takes five English letters to emulate two Russian ones, this borscht blog may seem bombastic. My advice for first-time borschters is to read it through, and taste as you go. Soup is not an exact science, but the techniques within give my Mom's version a depth of flavor that truly celebrates its humble ingredients. Ha здоровье! 

Shopping List
1# beets (about 3 large, 4 medium)
3/4# carrots (3-4)
3/4# yukon gold potatoes, yellow, or white potatoes (3-4)
3/4# cabbage (1 tiny, or 1/2 regular)
1 large white or yellow onion
1 leek or shallot
2 cloves garlic
14 oz canned or jarred tomatoes, peeled & seeded (preferably unsalted), and pureed*
olive oil
dill
apple cider or red wine vinegar (about 1/4C)
salt & pepper 
sugar (optional) 

Instructions
Roast the beets. This can be done a day ahead, or several hours ahead of making the soup. Cut the greens away from the beets, without cutting into the beets themselves. Don't cut the root end either. Leaving a 1/2" of the greens at the top will prevent beet juice from leaking out during roasting. A little will, so line a sheet pan with foil, scrub the beets well with a brush and cool water, and roast the beets whole for 30-60 minutes depending on their size. You want them yielding, but not mushy. 

Roasted beets

Prepare the Soup
Peel the cooled beets and grate them in a food processor. Wearing latex gloves will keep the mess and stained hands at bay. Peel and grate the carrots. 
Heat a very large stock pot and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. On low heat, cook the beets and carrots for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. 

Grated carrots and roasted beets. 

Meanwhile, dice the onion, leek or shallot, and mince the garlic. Peel and dice the potatoes. Core the cabbage, slice it lengthwise into wedges, then slice into thin shreds (a little thicker than you would for cole slaw). 

After 20 minutes of sauteing the beets & carrots, remove them from the pot, and set them aside for later. 
Add about 3T of olive oil to the pot, and saute the onion and leek or shallot until translucent. Stir in the garlic and saute for another minute or two. 
Stir in the cabbage and cook it down for just about a minute, stirring as it wilts. Stir in the potatoes.

Sprinkle them with about 1T kosher salt. Stir in the pureed tomatoes, then add 3Qts of hot water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. 

not yet...

Stir in the beets and carrots. Adjust the seasoning. Stir in the vinegar and dill. Adjust the seasoning. If the soup is too acidic, stir in about 1T of sugar. 

Борщ!

Serve immediately. 
Refrigerate cooled soup in airtight containers for up to 1 week, or freeze in mason jars for up to 6 months. 
Makes 1.1 cubic Sweeneys. (A lot.)

* I found this marvelous organic tomato puree at my local Mediterranean market. The ingredients are simply organic tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and pureed. No salt or anything else added. I used about 2/3 of the jar, and will make a marinara with the rest. Delightful. 

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Radish Leaf Pesto

During the spring and summer, I often make my own pestos. Store bought varieties tend to have an oxidized taste, too much oil, or (IMO) the wrong combination of ingredients. Since I am fortunate to live in an area with an abundance of inexpensive fresh produce, I enjoy experimenting with new dishes, focusing on economy (both money, and making the most of each ingredient). A lover of basil (who isn't??), I typically make basil pesto. 

Recently, I bought a few bunches of beautiful spring radishes (some of which I used in a Thai cucumber salad). To make the radishes last, I snipped them off their stems and refrigerated them in a container filled with cold water. 

Just before I tossed the greens into the compost bin, I had an epiphany. Why not use the leaves in something? Knowing that some veggie extras are inedible, I did a quick Google search, and got the "green" light to proceed. I tasted a leaf. It tasted...green. Not bitter, not sweet, just sort of grassy and fresh. Because the leaves have sort of a neutral taste, I decided to toast up some pistachios to give the pesto a nutty flavor, as well as a little crunch. Other than that, I stuck to the usual pesto ingredients: olive oil, salt & pepper, parmigiano reggiano, and a little lemon juice. 

The result (as you can see above) was a vibrant pesto, that not only tasted bright and lovely, but kept its green color and freshness after several days in the fridge. Considering that a bunch of radishes costs about 50 cents, this radish leaf pesto is a great way to stretch your dollars, while adding a tasty and healthy touch to your meals. 

Look for radishes with fresh, green, undamaged leaves. Farmers' markets or stores with high turnover are your best bet. Whenever possible, buy organic, or ask where and how the radishes were grown. Obtaining a Certified Organic label is very time-consuming and expensive. Many farmers grow clean produce, without an organic seal of approval. 

Ingredients
Greens from 2 bunches of fresh radishes
About 1/3C of shelled pistachios (Trader Joe's 50% less salt, or Whole Foods bulk are good choices)
Olive or Grapeseed oil
Parmigiano Reggiano (Trader Joe's and Costco have great prices)
Kosher salt, & pepper
Lemon Juice 

Preparation
In a dry pan, toast the shelled pistachios until they're golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool. 

Toasted pistachios

Remove the stems, and float the radish leaves in a large bowl of cold water. Gently push the greens under the surface of the water every so often. The dirt will settle to the bottom of the bowl. (We're in a drought! You can use "dirty" water on your plants, or to flush your commode. Pouring sandy water down the sink can lead to clogging.) 

Either spin the leaves in a salad spinner, or place them in a clean kitchen towel, wrap up the corners, and give it a few shakes to dry the leaves a bit. (Slightly wet leaves will help produce a smooth pesto.)  

Add the leaves to a blender, food processor, or my favorite go-to, the Mini Prep. Sprinkle about 1/4t of kosher salt (you can always add more later), some fresh ground pepper, the pistachios, the cheese, and drizzle over a few tablespoons of oil. Pulse the blender or processor at first, then let it go for a few seconds. Scrape down the sides, and repeat. If the pesto looks chunky, but a little dry, add some more oil. Once it starts to resemble a pesto, stop the machine and taste. Add a little lemon juice, and adjust the seasoning. Give it one more blend, then transfer the pesto to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed (up to 3 days), or serve immediately. 

My beloved Mini-Prep holds 3C of goodness, has a reversing smartblade, and only cost about $35. It has a ton of uses. Check out the link for color options, more info, and a brief instructional video from the good people at Cuisinart. 

Other than a sauce for pasta, pesto can be used on potatoes, as a spread on a sandwich, or however you like. 

Make & Freeze
You can also prepare and freeze a pesto for later use. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays, then pop them out and store them in freezer bags. The cubes defrost easily, and are great to keep around for dinner "emergencies".