Mint pesto - Fresh mint and almonds Sauce/Chutney
I feel it is partiality if i don't do a pesto while celebrating the italian sauces as this Week's BM theme here in my kitchen. Classic italian pesto, is pounded in a marble mortar and wooden pestle made with basil/herbs, pine nuts, garlic, cheese and salt. I m not sure whether adding almonds or walnuts are modern way of making your pesto flavorsome or simply a cost cutting measure, i for sure do the latter.
I recently made a coriander and mint pesto with walnuts, i love adding walnuts to pesto as i feel they give more creamy texture to it and in that process i add little less olive oil to my pesto. Today i bring you a fresh, flavorsome mint pesto, using almonds. The freshness of mint will just engulf you the moment you taste a spoon of this green goodness.
Pesto's are my favorite for another good reason, they are pretty easy to make, just dump and blend. I love such simple recipes, i sometimes cheat my friends and family by doing tons of such simple recipes when they come for lunch/dinner and they keep wondering whether i m a lady ravan(Hindu Mythology Ramayan Character) with 20 hands!!!😆
Ok, coming to the recipe, i made a small batch of this pesto and used it immediately to flavor Rice noodles for dinner, it was finger-licking good, do try and let me know how you liked it.
Inspired from here
Ingredients
3 fistful of mint leaves
10-12 no's almonds, blanched
2 fat cloves of garlic
2-3 tablespoon of olive oil
½ teaspoon peppercorns
Salt to taste
Method
- Clean and wash the mint leaves. I have used 1 medium bunch of mint leaves, which when the stalks are removed will yield around 3 fists full of leaves. Sorry didn't measure the exact amount, when I do will update the post.
- Take the mint leaves in a spice grinder or small jar of your food processor, add garlic, blanched and skinned almonds, pepper and salt.
- Process until it turns to a coarse paste, do not add water while doing, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil at a time and process the pesto.
- Remove the coarsely ground pesto into a separate bowl. Toss it with your favorite pasta or add it your spaghetti and enjoy this flavorsome mint pesto.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM
Simple yet flavorful pesto. Good one
Raavan ! Lol ! The mint pesto sounds absolutely stunning ! Would give it a try asap , mint and walnuts happen to my favourite ingredients !
Well, if you whip up so many delicious dishes, obviously people will think you are Lady Ravan with 20 hands 🙂 . Haven't tried mint pesto. Got to give it a try very soon.
Lady Ravan? Hahaha. Love that phrase. Interesting pesto with mint and almonds. I am sure to try this soon.
Lady Ravan! Hahaha. This pesto sounds absolutely yum..
ha ha priya you need some skills to even make so many simple recipes 😀 you have quoted yourself to lady ravan with 20 hands which sounds funny but it is true kudos to your humor sense , am still laughing 🙂 Pesto looks so yummy and yes even I like the pesto with walnuts in them.
hahaha...lol on your intro and the comments above..I can easily imagine you as lady Ravan Priya...:)..the condiment has a lovely hue!
This is so different......I have not experimented much of pesto....bookmarking this.......
The pesto looks delicious and flavorful. Am trying to imagine a Lady Ravana now in the kitchen!!
its actually great to be such raavan. I always ran out simple ideas. You won't believe how much mind I put in to get chocolate recipes. Finally I only did mixed something here n there. I love this pesto making it in few minutes.
Haha lady ravan, so funny Priya. Am so tempted to try this mint pesto, am sure my family will enjoy this pesto with their fav pastas anytime.
Wow I have never tried pesto with mint, I guess it must be very refreshing and tasty.
I make pesto with walnuts or almonds. seriously pine nuts comes at a exorbitant price. I have never tried it with mint though. will try this variation soon
Mint pesto sounds great. Every time I cook with spinach or cilantro or mint, I forget measure them in cups as well. A great pesto to make ahead.
That looks like a vibrant and delicious pesto. Love the addition of almonds and mint instead of the regular basil and pinenuts.
I am sure mint pesto would be so delicious with any pasta.