Kalamata Pesto

WARNING!!!
Ugly food ahead.

Ugly, but delicious.

I had a whole lot of fresh basil to use up and a mean hankering for some pesto. As I went through my fridge and pantry collecting the traditional pesto ingredients, I realized I was lacking pine nuts or walnuts, but man, did kalamata olives sound good. Time to get experimental.

This experiment paid off. It paid off in ugly food, but still. As long as it tastes good, it works for me. Luckily, you can disguise it’s homely appearance by using it, along with feta and sun-dried tomatoes, to stuff some chicken breasts fit for company.

Kalamata Pesto
an “Apple a Day” original

Ingredients:
4 oz. fresh basil
1/3 c. pitted kalamata olives
1 TBSP brine from olives1-2 cloves fresh garlic1/3 c. freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
juice of 1/2 lemon
2/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if thinner consistency is desired
salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients except for oil, salt, and black pepper in food processor. Pulse six to eight times.

2. With food processor running, drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency is met.

3. Taste pesto. Salt and pepper to taste.One year ago: heirloom caprese salad with pesto vinaigrette (anyone else see a pattern?)