Perfect Pesto Raw Food Recipes

HOMEMADE BASIL PESTO RECIPE

Steps:

• Quickly blanch the basil. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set aside near your stove. Fill a small saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Drop the basil leaves in the boiling water and blanch for 5 to 10 seconds or until wilted. Using tongs, transfer the basil leaves to prepared ice water to stop cooking.
• Dry the basil very well. Pick up the basil leaves and wrap them in paper towel and squeeze to wring out all the water.
• Make the pesto. Place the basil, garlic, pine nuts, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. With the processor running, slowly pour the extra virgin olive oil. Do not run the processor too long, you want to have a little bit of texture to your basil pesto.
• Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Transfer the basil mixture to a small bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix to combine. If needed add a little bit more extra virgin olive oil to mix.
• Use immediately or store for later (see notes for storage).

PERFECT PESTO (RAW FOOD)

Steps:

• Blend ingredients in a juicer or food processor.
• Variations: Raw pesto is great to use on vegetable slices such as cucumber, carrot or beet. Another idea is to fell a green or red pepper with the pesto and add sprouts.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.
• If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

BASIL PISTACHIO PESTO (RAW RECIPE)

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth.

WILD GARLIC PESTO

Steps:

• Rinse and roughly chop the wild garlic leaves.
• Blitz the wild garlic leaves, parmesan, garlic, lemon zest and pine nuts to a rough paste in a food processor. Season, and with the motor running slowly, add almost all the oil. Taste, season and add a few squeezes of lemon juice.
• Transfer the pesto to a clean jar and top with the remaining oil. Will keep in the fridge for two weeks.

EASY PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place almonds on a cookie sheet, and bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
• In a food processor, combine toasted almonds, garlic, basil, olive oil, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Process until a coarse paste is formed.