Cilantro-Peanut Pesto

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Cilantro-Peanut Pesto

 

Stir this into a brothy soup, spoon it over steamed new potatoes or toss it

with linguine, brown rice or rice noodles. You can also use it to coat sliced

vegetables before broiling or grilling, then serve them at room temperature

with more pesto on the side. Pesto keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

 

1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

4 stalk fresh lemongrass, trimmed with thick outer layers peeled, stalks

chopped

3 medium garlic cloves, chopped

2 large shallots, chopped

2 tbsps. minced fresh ginger

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread peanuts in small baking pan and bake until

toasted and fragrant, stirring once, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add lemongrass, garlic and

shallots and cook, stirring often, until tender, to 10 minutes. Remove from

heat.

In blender or food processor, combine lemongrass mixture, roasted peanuts,

ginger and salt. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup water in thin,

steady stream and process until blended.

Add lime juice, basil, cilantro and pepper flakes and process until smooth,

stopping as needed to scrape down sides of machine with rubber spatula. If you

want a thinner pesto, add up to another 1/4 cup water. Serve at room

temperature or chilled.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

 

 

 

 

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