Personalizing Pesto

SUBSTITUTIONS ALTER TRADITIONAL TASTE FOR A NEW EXPERIENCE.

BY BROOK HARLAN · PHOTOS BY L.G. PATTERSON

Ilove basil and pesto, but I don’t always enjoy growing basil. I look forward to spring to have fresh basil leaves to use for caprese salad, topping on pizza or tossing into pasta. But I don’t look forward to the time of year when it starts to bolt to seed and you are left with more spindly flowers and very few leaves.

I always thought pesto could only be made with basil. However, about 15 years ago I saw a demo with a chef making pesto with arugula, and it was delicious. It had a great bite and texture, and arugula tends to be cheaper than basil.

This made me think about what else could be substituted in pesto. Pine nuts are commonly used in pesto but are one of the most expensive nuts (and not local to Missouri). I have had good luck with pecans in pesto, and they are available statewide.

This brought me to my next pesto substitution. Each year in late May or early June, a neighbor brings me garlic scapes. Hardneck garlic varieties have a scape that grows from the center of the stalk as a curl at first, then begins to straighten just before the end flowers to produce seeds. (Consider checking out the botanical definition of a scape sometime; they define it much better than I do.) Most hardneck garlic growers cut off the scape just before the curl straightens. This is when the scape is most tender, as it becomes tough and woody to support the flower.

By harvesting the scape, the energy that the garlic would put into the flower can now be focused on the bulb. This can result in garlic bulbs that are 30 percent larger than if the scape was left on.

I would stir fry the scapes, use them with pasta or in omelets, or even pickle them. Then I came across someone substituting the scapes for basil in pesto. I decided to give it a try; it was a hit. The pungent garlic flavor comes through and the sturdy scapes process much easier than basil.

I was hooked. So much so that I started growing hardneck garlic the following year, a little for the garlic, but mostly for the scapes.

Unfortunately, by this time of year (unless you have saved some in your fridge as they save well for months), all of the garlic scapes are gone, but you can still make pesto with a variety of different ingredients, in case you might just be ready to rip out the rest of that pesky basil. You mostly want to judge how to make it based on taste, but what follows is a rough ratio that I use.

BY VOLUME:

• 4 parts green things (basil, scapes, arugula)

• 1 part nuts (pecans, pine nuts, almonds)

• 1 part Parmesan (another hard sharp cheese could be substituted)

• 1 to 2 parts olive oil

• Lemon juice to taste - ½ to ¾ part

• Salt to taste

Greens

Basil (leaves and softer parts of the stem) is traditional, but garlic scapes, green garlic, wild garlic, arugula, parsley, spinach, kale, asparagus, cilantro, mint and probably any other green you want to try can be used. Some items may lend to a milder pesto with a vibrant color if blanched. I prefer a strong taste, but blanching will help set and preserve the chlorophyll to give it a more vibrant green color. Depending on what type of green you are using (less time for leaves, more time for stalks), blanch by plunging the items in boiling water for 10 to 60 seconds, then immediately into ice water. You will notice the color becomes much more vibrant. This will make the flavor milder but have a much brighter color for longer.

Nuts

Pine nuts are not the only way to add texture to a pesto. Most other nuts (including pecans, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds) will substitute well to make pesto. The nuts help give body and flavor, and lightly toasting, then cooling, will help develop even more flavor. If you have a nut allergy, don’t fret. The texture and flavor also can be mimicked by substituting toasted breadcrumbs. Lightly toast or fry the breadcrumbs in olive oil until they become golden brown. Cool and then substitute as normal in the recipe.

Cheese

Parmigiano-Reggiano is king for making pesto, but you can use a variety of different, less expensive cheeses. Pecorino Romano, aged cheddar, aged feta, Asiago, ricotta salata or any other aged hard cheese. If dairy is the issue, you can just add in some more nuts; if you want to add back in some of that cheesy flavor, try adding a bit of nutritional yeast.

Acid

Lemon juice is most common as it has a great flavor that does not overpower the other ingredients. But if you are wanting to highlight the flavor of other acids, consider trying lime juice, grapefruit juice, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or verjus (the pressed juice of unripened grapes). Along the same lines, adding in some picked things you have might do the trick, such as capers, pickles or olives.

Process

Typically, the making of pesto is done one of two different ways, either in a mortar and pestle or a food processor. If you have a mortar, this will work well to make a small amount, maybe just for your dinner. If you want to do a cup to a quart, I recommend a food processor. Prep all of your items and have them measured, cooled and ready. I prefer to start with nuts, cheese and lemon juice, as I find it is harder to over-process them. Then you can add the basil (or other green) and olive oil, and adjust to taste. This prevents the basil from being overworked and turning brown. Most residential food processors should only handle a quart or quart and a half of pesto (I know they say it can handle more than that trust me). If you are making more than that, do it in smaller batches and mix at the end. This will allow you to process the batches easier and prevent the basil/greens from being overworked and turning brown.

Store

Fresh pesto made with basil will last two or three days in the refrigerator. It freezes well but does not do well going in and out of the freezer multiple times. I find with garlic scape pesto or green garlic pesto, the color stays much more vibrant even after a few times freezing and thawing. When I am making a large batch, I find it easiest to get the smallest mason jars I have, then freeze them. With a high enough percentage of oil, the lemon juice is the only moisture in the pesto, and I have not had issues with expansion and jars breaking while freezing.

Use

While my preferred method of consumption is pesto spread on a piece of fresh bread or flatbread, there are a multitude of other ways to consume it. Here are a few ways to use pesto, but I am sure you can find more beyond the list below:

• Tossed with pasta;

• Spread for sandwich or wrap;

• Sauce for cooked meats;

• Replace tomato sauce with pesto when making pizza;

• Add to soup;

• Toss with roasted vegetables;

• Add to pasta salad;

• Make a pesto compound butter;

• Add to eggs;

• Dip for raw veggies;

• Add to roasted or mashed potatoes;

• Add to stuffed mushrooms;

• Add to baked mac and cheese;

• Add to grilled cheese; or

• Use in place of basil in a caprese salad.