This puree is great to have on hand. It makes an excellent sauce for broiled fish or for pasta or ravioli, or a poached egg on an English muffin.
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Cut the asparagus in large pieces and place them in a large pot. Add just enough water to barely cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and boil the asparagus gently until they are fork-tender, about 10 minutes for slender asparagus, longer for thick ones. Reserving the cooking water, drain the asparagus.
3. Place the asparagus in a food processor along with ΒΌ cup of the reserved cooking water and the garlic. Add the pine nuts, if using, the oil, lemon juice and salt to taste and pulse to combine. If necessary, add a bit more cooking water to get a smooth pesto.
NOTE: The asparagus pesto holds in the freezer for 8 to 12 months. Add salt and pepper as you use the pesto (seasoning loses its oomph when frozen).
About this recipe
Recipes are from The Kitchen Ecosystem by Eugenia Bone (Clarkson Potter, 2014).
