Basil-Pecan Pesto

Summary: I love pestos and remember how liberated I felt when I realized they needn't be made just from basil and pine nuts. Rather, the possibilities are limitless and I have favorite recipes for mint-pistachio, sage-walnut and now this: basil-pecan. This one is terrific on grilled chicken or just out of the spoon!

Yield: about 1 cup 

Ingredients:

  • 2¼ cups packed basil leaves (washed, stems removed)
  • 1¼ cups pecans (toasted if you like)
  • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, perhaps a bit more
  • 1/2 cup grated pecorino
  • ¼ - ½ teaspoon salt
  • a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz just until everything is well chopped and combined. The less you process the basil, the greener it will stay. Use, refrigerate or freeze!