How to make – Wild Herb Pesto

Today I want to share a lovely experience I had with some friends of mine.

We made together Wild herb pesto.

And what do you know, we didn’t have to go to the wild, just to out Auckland backyard.

What do you need?

Herbs

Edible greens

Stinging Nettle – Beware, it is stingy to touch so take it from the stem. After it is well crushed in the food processor, it’s yummy and full of iron.

Plantain

Dandelion

Onion Weed – Plenty of it, if you ask me. You can add the onion too. All parts of the plant are edible.

Red Clover – Yes, the flower. This handsome:

Sorrel

Puha

Wild Fennell

ChickWeed

Nasturtium – flowers and leaves

You can add also mint, parsley, broad beans leaves, kale, kale flowers, spinach. Just any edible greens you know and can put your hands on.

Nuts

Great news, all nuts are good, not only pine nuts which are, in general, way too expensive. I think the cheapest are sunflower seeds, just roast them in a pan and into the food processor, with the leaves. You can use almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, any nuts, cashew, pistachio. The fun part is that each time you make it, your wild herb pesto will taste a bit different.

Olive oil

Quite a lot of it, to make a pesto (Italian for paste). You can try other oils, I just love olive oil.

Something Sour (Optional but very recommended)

Sourkraut juice, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar.

Spices

Here you can really go crazy – a pinch of salt can be enough but you can add garlic or garlic powder, cumin, paprika, tumeric, black pepper. Do not limit yourself, whatever you like is good. This it actually where the wild herb pesto really gets wild:)

If you have more ideas about how you use wild herbs, please share.