Swiss Chard Pesto

When I here the word "pesto" I always think of the basil, parm and pine nut variety. I've heard of substituting the parm with asiago or romano or using blanched almonds instead of pine nuts, but when I came across a recipe that uses swiss chard in it, I was intrigued. This recipe maintains the basil with the added bonus of the chard. I have lots of swiss chard growing in the garden and haven't had a chance to use it at all this summer so this was the perfect opportunity!!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups Swiss chard, with lower stems removed
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup walnuts
2 ounces freshly grated pecorino or parmesan cheese (vegetarian variety)
1/2 cup of packed basil leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil and wilt the chard leaves in the oil. remove from heat and let cool.
In a food processor combine the garlic, walnuts, basil and cheese. Pulse until the mixture is finely ground and mixed. Add the cooled, swiss chard and mix well.
Pour in the olive oil and mix until fully blended. Refrigerate or freeze.

Fresh Basil Means Pesto Tonight!

There's somthing about the smell of fresh basil that always gets me thinking of pesto. Every summer I have at least three huge pots of basil growing on the balcony. During the winter months I'm reduced to purchasing "fresh" basil in the grocery store. This is a very expensive way to get basil so when I discovered that a local Asian market sold basil at "a dollar a bag" I now make bi-weekly purchases.

The best pesto is home-made pesto. I've tried (several times) the pre-made stuff from the grocery store and I've never liked it—I find that there's a "chemical" taste to it; something not natural.

Here's a simple recipe that I use. I always try to have some in my fridge. It's great for adding to sauces, sandwiches (with goat cheese and roasted peppers) or to have straight on pasta.

Pesto Sauce
2 cups fresh basil (packed)
1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese (vegetarian variety)
1 cup of virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic (slightly chopped)
3 tbsp pine nuts

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until well mixed.
Store in the fridge, covered.