This recipe is a true taste of spring time – a nettle pistachio pesto topped with a slice of fresh truffle.
We tried the pesto on raw and baked oysters. I preferred raw, Van baked. Either way, it’s a rich treat. It was a special visit from our friends at Truffle Dog Co that gave us access to truffles (it’s not everyday we have these around!) but this recipe would be perfect without that little extra.
Ingredients:
-1 cup blanched and chopped nettles*
-1/3 cup pistachios
-1/3 cup grated parmesan
-3 cloves garlic chopped
-Juice of 1/2 a lemon
-Olive oil, starting with 4 tablespoons and adding tablespoon at a time thereafter until desired consistency
*For nettles make sure you buy from a trusted source, or are 100% positive on your plant ID. Wear gloves when handling the nettles before they are blanched, and go for the tender leaves only (not the stock) – this is either the leaves at the top of the stock, or those from a young, small plant. Once the nettle has begun to flower the leaves get tough, so avoid flowering nettles. To remove the sting blanch the leaves for 90 seconds, then with tongs move them to a bowl with ice. Once cool strain them in a colander, and squeeze the liquid out of them by twisting them up in a dish towel or cheese cloth. Then they are ready to be used!
Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend till smooth, adding olive oil along the way till desired consistency.
I do understand that pesto is way better using a mortar and pestle – so if you’ve got that in you go for it, and I want to hear about it! Use the pesto on everything from oysters to bread to pasta.