Asparagus pesto
Nutritional Info
- Servings Per Recipe: 5
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 95.0
- Total Fat: 8.3 g
- Cholesterol: 4.0 mg
- Sodium: 95.9 mg
- Total Carbs: 2.9 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
View full nutritional breakdown of Asparagus pesto calories by ingredient
Introduction
A twist on pesto when you don't have basil around. From Mark Bittman's May 12, 2010 New York Times column: "The Minimalist: Asparagus Pesto Packs in the Flavor."He says: "I can eat this stuff with a spoon, but it’s perfect on pasta, fish, chicken, eggs or even other vegetables.
It’s also endlessly adaptable: you can add minced herbs, use other cheeses, or try walnuts or almonds in place of the pine nuts. "
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/12/din
ing/12mini.html?ref=style# A twist on pesto when you don't have basil around. From Mark Bittman's May 12, 2010 New York Times column: "The Minimalist: Asparagus Pesto Packs in the Flavor."
He says: "I can eat this stuff with a spoon, but it’s perfect on pasta, fish, chicken, eggs or even other vegetables.
It’s also endlessly adaptable: you can add minced herbs, use other cheeses, or try walnuts or almonds in place of the pine nuts. "
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/12/din
ing/12mini.html?ref=style#
Number of Servings: 5
Ingredients
-
Asparagus - 6 oz. (about 12 spears), w woody ends cut off & cut into 2"-3" lengths
Parmesan cheese grated or shredded - 1 oz.
Pine nuts - 22 g
olive oil - 18 g.
Makes about 7 oz. of pesto, w a serving being 1.5 oz.
Directions
Making asparagus pesto lets you use the peel, which contains a ton of flavor even though it’s sometimes too tough and stringy to eat. Puréeing lets you sidestep this issue: you keep the peel, and the flavor, but your food processor pulverizes the fibers, even if you use thick spears.
Whether the spears are thick or thin, the woody ends should be cut off and discarded before the spears are boiled.
The asparagus is ready when easily pierced by a knife, which might take as long as 10 minutes. (Don’t overdo it; the asparagus will turn gray and flavorless if cooked to death.)
Once the asparagus is soft, drain and let cool, then purée with the quintessential components of pesto genovese: garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan. (I add a squeeze of lemon, which seems to heighten the flavor of the asparagus.)
Number of Servings: 5
Whether the spears are thick or thin, the woody ends should be cut off and discarded before the spears are boiled.
The asparagus is ready when easily pierced by a knife, which might take as long as 10 minutes. (Don’t overdo it; the asparagus will turn gray and flavorless if cooked to death.)
Once the asparagus is soft, drain and let cool, then purée with the quintessential components of pesto genovese: garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan. (I add a squeeze of lemon, which seems to heighten the flavor of the asparagus.)
Number of Servings: 5