Vegan Pesto
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(slightly adapted from Gena Hamshaw)
Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil
1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts
1/3 - 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
12 grinds freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3-4 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
Make the pesto:
Fit a food processor with the S blade, and with running drop the garlic cloves through the feed tube, to easily mince them. Alternatively, finely mince them by hand. Remove the lid and add the basil, walnuts or pine nuts. Pulse to combine, until the mixture is coarsely ground, about 10-15 times.
With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil in a slow, thin stream. Add the sea salt, pepper, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast, pulsing a few more times to combine. Scraping the bowl down as needed. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
To store, top the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil (to slow down any browning from oxidation) in a tightly sealed container for up to a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Makes about one cup. YUM!
LESSONS Learned:
1. A food processor is invaluable. Traditionally, pesto is made in a mortar and pestle, but it's a lot more work.
2. Make sure to cover any leftovers, either in the fridge or freezer, with a thin layer of olive oil to help keep it fresh and stop any oxidation.
3. If freezing, pour into ice cube trays for easy portioning.