Parsley pesto
As I mentioned in a previous post I have ended up with a large amount of flat leaved parsley this year. Other years I get a few sprigs - isn’t that always the way. I’ve been adding parsley to every thing, even putting it in sandwiches.
Eventually I got round to making Parsley Pesto. If you too are knee deep in parsley - flat or curly - you might want to try this. It makes a delicious sauce for pasta. The same recipe can also be used to make Basil Pesto (substituting basil for the parsley - but of course you already knew that!). I use jars that have already held pesto as I find they are just the right size.
PARSLEY PESTO
(fills 3 x 190g jars)
115g/4oz flat leaf parsley leaves (no stalks)
6 garlic cloves, crushed
115g/4oz pine nuts
115g/4oz freshly grated parmesan cheese
235ml/8fl oz good olive oil
Method
1. Put all the ingredients into a food processor. Whiz until blended. You are aiming for a roughish texture. I don’t add salt as the parmesan is salty enough.
2. Put into clean jars and cover surface of pesto with a thin layer of olive oil. This will help preserve it and stop oxidisation which affects the colour. Put on the lids
3. Keep refrigerated until needed.
7 comments
This is a super idea to preserve the parsley practically fresh. I have made a lot of herb salt using my flat leaved parsley. I have used it all up but now I have a “field” of it again it has grown so well. On my May post ( Wednesday 21.)I have written about my herb salt. Your pots look very neat and I am sure the Pesto is delicious.
I will try it with my parsley.
Hmmm I must check my pines for pine nuts
Titania - I looked at your post and I do envy you your herb dryer - a neat and efficient piece of equipment which preserves colour so well.
CityGarden - be careful when you climb those pine trees!
@easygardener they ‘re not so high yet
The plot has pine forest near but we can collect pine nuts only from our 3 pines inside the plot, because the forest has different pine trees.
That looks gorgeous. Sadly my parsley has a tendency to curl up its toes & die - I envy you your glut!
You’re lucky to have a glut of parsley. Parsley pesto sounds delicious. You can also make tabouleh - I found a good recipe for using lots of parsley in it on http://orneylie.blogspot.com/ - hadn’t realised before what a large proportion of parsley you should use for it and it was delicious.
HappyMouffetard - My parsley is never consistent but I now plant it in September and cloche it later and/or in February under a cloche. I find it does better than sowing in warmer weather when germination seems more erratic.
chaiselongue - as it happens I made tabbouleh last week. For once I had enough parsley to make it properly. As you say there is a very high proportion of parsley in it, really it’s a parsley salad with a dash of grain! It was excellent.
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