Pesto di rucola, menta, pistacchi e limone sotto sale
Rocket, mint, pistachio and salt-preserved lemon pesto
From my supplier here in the Netherlands, Peccati di Gola: Italkali – Sale di Sicilia grosso
Introduction
A bright green pesto where peppery rocket meets fresh mint and coriander. Pistachios bring a gentle sweetness, and the peel of salt-preserved lemon adds depth and a natural saltiness. This is not a traditional pesto alla genovese, but a free creation from my kitchen, seasoned with the Sicilian rock salt of Racalmuto.
Ingredients
Makes about 200 g (about 7 oz)
- 35 g fresh rocket (arugula) (about 1¼ oz)
- 12 g fresh mint leaves (about ½ oz)
- 8 g fresh coriander (cilantro) (about ¼ oz)
- 18 g shelled, unsalted pistachios (about ⅔ oz)
- 6 g fresh garlic (1 to 2 cloves)
- 25 g salt-preserved lemon peel, very finely chopped (about 1 oz)
- 12 g lemon juice (about 2½ tsp)
- 15 g grated pecorino, optional (about ½ oz)
- 75 g extra virgin olive oil with a delicate flavor (about ⅓ cup)
- Black pepper, to taste
- Sicilian cave salt (Italkali rock salt from Racalmuto), to taste, with care
Method
1. Prepare the herbs
Wash the rocket, mint and coriander, then dry them carefully. Keep only the mint leaves.
2. Prepare the preserved lemon
Remove the flesh and seeds, then rinse the peel to remove excess salt. Drain it well and chop it very finely.
3. Prepare the pistachios
Chop them coarsely. For more flavor, toast them for 2 to 3 minutes in a dry pan, then let them cool.
4. Blend the base
Put the garlic and pistachios in the blender bowl and pulse a few times. Then add the rocket, mint and coriander.
5. Add the citrus
Add the preserved lemon peel and the lemon juice.
6. Emulsify
Blend in short pulses while pouring in the olive oil little by little, until the texture is even but still slightly grainy.
7. Finish
Stir in the grated pecorino, if using. Add black pepper, taste, and add salt only if needed.
From my kitchen experience
- Do not blend for too long: the heat of the blades dulls the green color and the aroma of the fresh herbs.
- The preserved lemon brings a deeper flavor and a natural saltiness.
- Add salt only after tasting the pesto, especially if you use pecorino.
- Racalmuto salt is a coarse salt: crush it in a mortar or a spice grinder before adding it. If you make the pesto by hand in a mortar, crush the salt right with the garlic: the grains help grind everything, and it is a lovely gesture.
- Aim for a soft, creamy and slightly grainy texture rather than a perfectly smooth purée.
Storage
Transfer to a clean, airtight container, refrigerate at 4 °C (39 °F) and use within the week.
The salt of Racalmuto
To salt this pesto, I use Sicilian rock salt from Italkali, mined underground at Racalmuto, in the province of Agrigento. It is a salt close to my heart: my mother was born in Grotte, the neighboring village, a few kilometers from the mine, and my whole family on my mother’s side comes from that land.
It is the only salt I buy, from my supplier here in the Netherlands, Peccati di Gola: Italkali – Sale di Sicilia grosso
To learn more:
Allergens
Contains pistachios (tree nuts) and, if pecorino is used, milk.
Also check the labels of the pistachios and the pecorino.
Reacties