Sorrel-Chive Herb Paste (Pesto)
Submitted by judyred
Sorrel-chive pesto with fresh sorrel, chives, pine nuts, shallots, orange zest, and olive oil blended into a tangy herb paste. A no-cheese pesto variation that stores for months.
YIELD
1 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
0 minREADY
30 minThis pesto ditches the basil and Parmesan for sorrel, a lemony, tart green that creates a brighter, more acidic herb paste than traditional Genovese pesto. Combined with chives, parsley, shallots, pine nuts, red onion, and a generous amount of grated orange zest, it’s a complex, layered condiment that works on grilled fish, tossed with pasta, or spread on crostini.
The orange zest is the unexpected ingredient that ties everything together. Four oranges’ worth of zest adds a fragrant, citrusy sweetness that balances sorrel’s sharp acidity. The recipe notes you can reduce the orange peel by a quarter or half to let the sorrel or other flavors dominate.
Dry mustard and cayenne in the blend add a warm, peppery undercurrent that keeps this from tasting like a plain green sauce. Olive oil drizzled in with the blade running emulsifies into a smooth, glossy paste.
This stores remarkably well: 8 to 10 weeks refrigerated in glass jars, or up to a year frozen.
Kitchen Tips
- Wash and thoroughly dry the sorrel before processing. Excess water dilutes the paste and shortens storage life
- Squeeze out liquid from the chopped sorrel before blending. Sorrel releases a lot of moisture
- Drizzle the oil slowly with the blade running for a smooth, emulsified paste
- Store in tempered glass jars, not plastic. Acidic sorrel can react with some plastics
Variations
- Swap pine nuts for walnuts or almonds as the recipe suggests
- Use arugula in place of sorrel for a peppery, less tart variation
- Stir in grated Parmesan before serving (but not before storing) for a cheesier version
Ingredients
Directions
Wash the sorrel and dry it well, by hand or in a salad spinner.
Chop the sorrel coarsely, and again squeeze away any liquid.
Blend the sorrel, shallots, pine nuts, parsley, chives, orange peel and onion in a food processor or blender.
(If using a blender, make sure these ingredients are already finely chopped.)
Add dry mustard, salt, pepper and cayenne, and mix again.
Slowly drizzle in the oil while the blade is moving.
Transfer to tempered glass jars and store in refrigerator (for up to 8 to 10 weeks) or in the freezer for up to a year.
NOTES: Sorrel’s peak season is summer, although you can find hothouse sorrel year round in some stores.
You may reduce the amount of orange peel by ¼ or ½ if you’d like to emphasize the sorrel or other flavors.
Walnuts or almonds may be substituted for the pine nuts.
Comments
