Recipe: Leiper Valley Pesto
This delicious and unique pesto features on a farm-to-table menu created for a special Pendle Hill dinner in July. Its beautifully fresh taste adds something special to cold pasta or potatoes on these soupy summer days.
- 4 cups rough chopped herbs: basil, parsley, cilantro, etc.
- 4 tbsp chopped roasted garlic
- 1/2 cup toasted seeds and nuts: sunflower, pumpkin, walnuts, etc.
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- olive oil, starting with 1/2 cup – more to desired consistency
- salt, to taste (try 1-2 tsp)
Puree in blender oil, garlic, nuts, lemon juice, salt, and finally the chopped herbs. Adjust oil and salt as needed.
July's Special Farm-to-Table Menu
Salad of chilled local spinach and polenta croutons. Served with caramelized leeks and mushrooms topped with a Thai basil vinaigrette.
Tri-colored red, white, and blue potatoes and Leiper Valley Pesto.
Oven-roasted, local free-range organic chicken encrusted with cornmeal and herbs.
Marinated grilled vegetables – peppers, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, and carrots.
Seasonal fruit bowl with lavender honey yogurt.