Having always been a stickler as to the definition of “pesto”, I have relaxed about this a bit, but still feel “pesto” should contain an herb, garlic, nuts, and olive oil. In this case the herb is the fronds from fennel combined with a little parsley for bulk, the nuts are coarsely chopped almonds, and the pesto is pretty runny. There is no cheese in this, although you could add some young Romano to the recipe if desired. This recipe was meant for Carrots with Fennel Jam, but would work well with chicken, fish, pork, pasta, or drizzled on spaghetti. Mortar and pestle is my preferred method for texture and longevity of end product, but a blender works, and the method for that is listed after the mortar method.
INGREDIENTS:
1 medium small clove garlic, peeled and de-germed, coarsely chopped
2 cups lightly packed fennel fronds, using some of both the paler bright green tips and the sturdy dark green fronds, lightly chopped
½ cup loose packed flat leaf parsley, coarse stems removed, lightly chopped
Olive oil- a lightly flavored buttery oil preferred- as needed, around ½ to 1 cup probably
1/3rd cup roasted almonds or pine nuts, chopped medium
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon juice or red wine vinegar if needed, to taste
-Options- (Use only one for best results)
Zest from 1 lemon, preferably Meyer, finely minced, or
1 pinch mild flavorful chili powder such as Piment d’Espelette or Urfa Biber or
¼ cup or more young Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated with a Microplane
METHOD:
Place the garlic and a pinch of salt in a mortar and grind to a paste. Add a healthy pinch of fennel greens and parsley and start grinding to a paste, adding more of each as the contents of the mortar turn to paste.
Add a drizzle of oil if the greens become hard to work. If using lemon peel or chili, add it when 2/3rds or the greens are in the mortar.
Once all the greens are in, add half the nuts and start drizzling in oil while lightly crushing the nuts a little and stirring in the oil to emulsify. Continue adding oil until the pesto is just runny and pourable.
If using the cheese, stir it in now, and then add more oil as needed to thin to the right consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and then add the rest of the nuts to the pesto. Stir in and taste for balance. If the pesto tastes flat, add a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar and stir in. Use a very small amount, then taste to see if that wakes up the pesto. It should take only a little if needed at all. Once pesto is done, store in a container with a tight fitting closure, keeping a layer of oil on the surface. Keeps 4-6 days.
If you do not have a mortar and pestle use a blender;
Put garlic, some salt and pepper, ½ cup fennel greens and ¼ cup parsley, and 2 tablespoons oil in a blender. Pureé. Add half the remaining greens and another 2 tablespoons oil and pulse on low/chop to yield a coarse slurry. Add the rest of the greens and half the nuts, 2 more tablespoons oil, and again pulse to bring the rest of the greens to a coarse slurry. If using lemon or chili, add now, and add ¼ cup of oil. Pulse to combine and break down the greens to a slightly runny paste. Add oil as needed to get a just runny and pourable consistency. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as needed as mentioned in the above instructions. Add the rest of the nuts, combine, and then if using cheese, add and stir in. Add more oil if the pesto is too stiff.
Store as above.
Yield: Around 1 cup pesto
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
