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Asparagus Pesto

5.0(620)

Making asparagus pesto lets you use the peel, which contains a ton of flavor even though it’s sometimes too tough and stringy to eat. Puréeing lets you sidestep this issue: you keep the peel, and the flavor, but your food processor pulverizes the fibers, even if you use thick spears.

by Mark Bittman

Open original recipe

Easy, Quick, Weeknight, Condiments, Dips And Spreads

Servings

(4–6)

Total time

20 min

Calories / serving

209 kcal

Ingredients (8)

serves

Saltsalt
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch segmentsasparagus
1 clove garlic, or more to tastegarlic
1/4 cup pine nutspine-nut
1/4 cup olive oil, or more as desiredolive-oil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheeseparmesan
Freshly ground black pepperpepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste

Instructions (2 steps)

01Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the asparagus and cook until fully tender but not mushy, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well, reserving some of the cooking liquid, and let the asparagus cool slightly.
02Transfer the asparagus to a food processor and add the garlic, pine nuts, 2 tablespoons of the oil, Parmesan, a pinch of salt and a couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Process the mixture, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container if necessary, and gradually add the remaining oil and a bit more of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten if necessary. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste, pulse one last time, and serve over pasta, fish or chicken (or cover and refrigerate for up to a day).

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