kale pesto

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kale

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Kale pesto is an excellent Alaskan alternative to traditional basil pesto because basil is a heat-loving crop, which means it is energy-intensive and expensive to grow here, and hard to come by in large enough quantities to justify pureeing it all down into pesto. Kale, on the other hand, grows well, freezes great, and is packed with nutrients. You can make big batches of kale pesto to freeze and eat year round for a fraction of the cost of basil pesto—and to be honest, even the toughest critics can’t tell the difference! Try freezing pesto in an ice cube tray so you can thaw single-serving dollops all winter for sandwiches!

For those of you who were lucky enough to stop by SAFM in the last two weeks while “Delicious Dave,” our Chef at the Market, was making kale pesto, here’s his recipe:

1 bunch kale (any variety is fine, but the curly kale tends to work best)
4 cloves of garlic (or more if you like it)
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
juice from 1/2 of a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the stems away from the kale leaves and tear leaves into pieces. Blend all ingredients together in a blender of Cuisinart. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.