I’m a fan of stocking your refrigerator with small batches of sauce, marinades, and dressings to use throughout the week for easier meal planning. I typically take Saturday off from cooking dinner and instead spend the afternoon making a few base sauces using up the last of the previous week’s vegetables and herbs. A favorite of mine is pesto. Rarely basil-based, my pesto is made from leftover greens and herbs before they spoil. I’m a big fan of arugula pesto; the peppery greens add a deeper flavor. I prefer pistachios for their delicate flavor, but you can use walnuts if you’d prefer. The blend of earthy nuts, salty cheese, olive oil, and peppery greens makes for a versatile base for a variety of meals. Add this pesto to pizza, lasagna, use as a marinade for chicken and shrimp, or serve as a dip for roasted vegetables. Pesto can be made three days ahead, but the recipe is easy enough to be put together the day of — just make it a few hours before using so flavors can meld. 

Pistachio-Arugula Pesto 
Yields about 1¼ cups 

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, peeled
¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
⅓ cup unsalted shelled pistachios
4 cups arugula, packed
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
¼ cup olive oil

Directions 

1. Using a food processor, finely chop the garlic. Add cheese and nuts, and pulse until nuts are finely chopped. 
2. Add arugula, lemon juice, and zest and blend until a coarse paste forms. 
3. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in oil and blend until just combined. Season pesto with salt and pepper and add more lemon juice, if desired. 
4. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use, up to 3 days.

Unpretentious People Say...

Other Articles You Might Enjoy