Kale Walnut Pesto
.jpg "Kale Walnut Pesto")
Last week I posted two recipes with kale pesto (this one and this one).
Though you guys seemed to have liked ‘em both, I had the feeling - through your comments on the blog, FB, IG and Twitter - that you were more interested in the kale pesto than the recipes themselves.
So yesterday I was like “Uhm, maybe I should post just the recipe for the kale pesto. If the readers want just to print/save the kale pesto they should. It totally makes sense!”
I know, I’m smart as a whip (Ha!)
Fact is, I already have a recipe for kale pesto on the blog. It’s made with toasted pistachio though. I love it, but lately I prefer this version with walnuts. I don’t why, there’s something to it that I find more delectable.
Maybe you can try both versions and report back. Mmmkay?
.jpg "Kale Walnut Pesto")
Anyways, here is the Kale Walnut Pesto, in all of its glory.
Can I just say that it’s really awesome?
It’s like a nutrient-packed alternative to regular basil pesto.
It’s delish right out of the jar as a healthy dip for snacking or as a spread on sandwiches, but also tossed with pasta (you have to try it with zoodles!) or layered in a lasagna for a quick and healthy meal.
You can also blend it into a dressing and toss with green salad, or top with chicken, vegetables, and stretchy cheese.
There are endless uses for this awesome sauce!
Ingredients
Yields about 1 cup of pesto
1 bunch of kale (roughly ½ lb / 226 gr), de-stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled
⅓ cup walnuts
juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, grated
2 tablespoons Romano cheese, grated
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup / 60 ml cooking water, plus more if needed
Directions
Bring a heavily salted pot of water to a roiling boil. Add garlic and kale (making sure to submerge it in the water) and blanch for 3 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon fish the kale and the garlic out of the water and transfer to a colander. Allow to cool slightly and using the back of a spoon (or your hands if you dare) squeeze out some of the water.
In a food processor add walnuts and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the blanched kale, garlic and lemon juice. Pulse until the kale is broken up and nearly smooth. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides. Add Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese and red pepper flakes (if using). Pulse again and while the food processor is running slowly add the water - one tablespoon at a time - until the pesto reaches a creamy consistency. You might need to use less or more water depending on the quality of the kale used.
Transfer kale pesto to a bowl and using a spoon stir in the olive oil until it’s completely absorbed.
If the kale pesto looks too thick, add more water (not oil) one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.
If not using straight away, store the pesto in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator. It will keep for 1 - 2 weeks. It's important to cover the pesto with a tiny layer of olive oil on top, it will prevent the oxidation.
Nutrition facts
1 cup yields 685 calories, 66 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbs, and 15 grams of protein.
Read more..