This antioxidant-rich pesto is also dairy-, soy-, gluten- and egg-free. It tastes delicious and is reminiscent of pesto made with pecorino, despite its being completely dairy-free.
Ingredients:
-1-3 ounces raw walnuts
-2-4 cloves of garlic (depending on desired taste and garlic tolerance)
-2-5 bunches of basil (depending on desired taste)
-Juice from 1-2 lemons or 1-2 whole slices (rind and all) salt-preserved lemons*
-Olive oil
-Unrefined sea salt (if not using salt-preserved lemons)
Directions:
Peel the garlic cloves and put them in a blender with olive oil, salt-preserved lemons or lemon juice and salt. Once chopped finely, add the walnuts and pulse for about 15 seconds. For a creamier pesto, blend the walnuts much longer to form a thicker paste. Add the basil leaves and additional olive oil as necessary. Blend until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.
*Here is a simple, easy recipe for making salt-preserved lemons. Juice 4-5 lemons and slice 4-10 more very thinly. Layer a few lemons into a sanitized large mason jar then sprinkle with kosher sea salt and lemon juice until the jar is full. Pack everything down with a spoon until about a half an inch of lemon juice sits on top the last lemon slice. Cover and let sit to cure for 2 weeks, after which you can begin to use the lemons. The rinds become incredibly soft and the taste and texture are out of this world.
