GREEN GARLIC AND KALE PESTO

GREEN GARLIC AND KALE PESTO

Spring Garlic (also called green garlic) is around for the first few months of Spring. You will see it popping up at your local farmers market now. Some look as big as a leek and others like a scallion. It’s simply just immature garlic. The taste is much more subtle then the mature garlic cloves - reminiscent to a mild green onion. To use: trim off root ends and any tough part of the green stalk then use the whole stalk if tender. You can substitute regular garlic (1 to 2 large cloves) in the pesto if you don’t have any green garlic on hand. Kale is pretty much my favorite green and I love it in a pesto. If you come across any fresh basil yet - throw a handful of fresh leaves into the blender to add to the mix as well. Leftover pesto is also a wonderful spread for a sandwich, add a dollop onto a baked potato, drizzled over some roasted vegetables basically anything you like pesto on - delicious.

• 4 small fresh green garlic or 1 large garlic clove, blanched*


• 1 medium bunch of kale, tough bottom stalks removed and leaves blanched*

• juice of 1/2 fresh lemon, or more to taste

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 
1/2 tsp sea salt, or more to taste

• 
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 heaping TBS soft plain goat cheese

• 1/4 cups grated pecorino, plus more for topping

• 1/4 cup pasta water 1 box your favorite whole grain pasta

* blanch the garlic and the kale in boiling salted water you will be using for the pasta. Blanch the green garlic for about 20 seconds in the boiling water then remove and set aside. Blanch the kale for about a minute in rapidly boiling water.

When greens are cool enough to handle, chop them up and then transfer to a high-speed blender or food processor and add the 1/2 tsp sea salt, red pepper flakes, goat cheese, pecorino or parmesan, turn the machine on low and slowly pour in the olive oil. When mixture is smooth, taste, adding more lemon juice or salt if needed.

Make pasta al dente and according to the package. When the pasta is done, before draining reserve 1/4 pasta water. Then add the drained cooked pasta back into the same pot you cooked it in, over a medium flame, mix in 1/2 the pesto with about 1/2 the pasta water.

Bring to a light boil and add more pesto if desired as well as more pasta water depending on how saucy it is and how you like it. Turn flame off and add some more grated cheese, a nice drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Taste, adding more grated pecorino over the top, if desired. Serve.