Recipe: Collard Pesto

 Collard Pesto

by Marisa Fontana

This recipe gives a fresher spin to a vegetable we most often see in a braised / boiled format.

Perhaps I use the term pesto quite loosely. But we can definitely apply the ‘pesto’ method to another form of green leafy vegetable instead. As long as the other ingredients roughly fall in line with the usual suspects in a traditional pesto, I find the result to be just as delicious as a pasta sauce. 

Also I’m trying to incorporate all the ingredients I need from either what we received from the CSA or what’s in the pantry, to avoid a grocery store run for just one ingredient. The margin for error is quite large for this recipe, so feel free to make substitutions as needed on your side as well!

Ingredients

• 2 stalk of fresh garlic including head - Roughly chop up fresh garlic, removing the tough stem and outer peels
• ½ cup walnuts (only nuts I had at home, but feel free to use what you have available)
• ½ lemon for juice
• 1/3 cup parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 bunch of collard greens
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup olive oil 

   


Step 1. 
Prepping collard greens – destem collard greens and clean thoroughly; roughly tear up the leaves
In a large pot, bring water to boil. Season liberally with salt
Boil collard greens for about 2-3 minutes to soften then place in ice bath
Wring out water from the leaves
Tip – I keep the water here in the pot and reuse for my pasta


Step 2.
In a food processor, combine garlic, walnuts, cheese, lemon juice, collard greens and season generously with salt and pepper and olive oil
Pulse for about 1 minute until well combined
If mixture is looking too dry, add in more olive oil or a ladle of collard greens water or pasta water if looking for a lighter mix

    

I cooked gluten free penne for the dish. After draining the pasta, I dolloped in the pesto sauce and added in a cup of reserved pasta cooking water