March 6th
2009
Ok, is everyone done with yawning? Well, if the standard homemade pesto – as scrumptious as it can be – doesn’t float your boat anymore, but you are open for a new take on a real classic – read on. I’m certain that every ambitious home cook has his or her own favorite recipe for how to marry basil, pine nuts and parmesan to a finger-licking yummy concoction. Whether you manually chop, use a mortar or food-processor, as long as you make it yourself and avoid the ready-made glasses supermarkets offer, you’re already in good shape!
But what would you say, if I offered a different kind of pesto, one with a fairly unusual main ingredient? An ingredient, that I have prepared and eaten for the very first time just two weeks ago. An ingredient, that neither test eaters nor guests were able to identify and one that I (shame on me!) mindlessly threw away in the past. Curious?
A big thank you has to go to Anke who works for my publishing house: when we had our latest Küchengötter cooking class (wanna see the movie? it’s in German though) I eavesdropped noticed her raving about a homemade pesto with small radish greens and hazelnuts. Did she say radish greens? The bunch of small red radishes I spotted a couple of days later at the local market looked perfect (one with lots of snappy greens, not those poor, wilted leaves), so I gave it a go and tried varying amounts as well as various oils. Nut oil turned out quite overpowering, olive oil a tad too strong, almost harsh… rapeseed oil on the other hand ensured a balanced and well-rounded result. The slightly peppery leaves give the pesto not only a vivid green color, but a hard to describe, oh-so delicious taste. And my window sill basil plant gets its well deserved rest.
OBTW
In case you ever wondered, why your homemade pesto with extra-virgin olive oil sometimes has a slightly bitter taste, Cook’s Illustrated explained it in their March & April 2009 issue, page 30:
Extra-virgin olive oil contains bitter tasting polyphenols coated by fatty acids, which prevent them from dispersing. If the oil is emulsified in a food processor, these polyphenols get squeezed out and the liquid mix turns bitter.
The magazine further claims this is only a problem when mixing dressing or mayo, because in pesto the other ingredients as nuts and cheese are robust enough to cope with it. This is where I disagree, I rarely prepare pesto with extra-virgin olive oil in the food processor anymore – because of the indeed noticeable bitter outcome.
Toast the chopped and skinned hazelnuts in a small pan over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant, then set aside. Peel and coarsely mince the garlic, then grate the cheese.
Cut off the leaves from the small red radishes (I didn’t use the thicker stems) and wash them thoroughly under cold water as they tend to be quite sandy. Throw in a salad spinner until dry or pad dry on some paper towel.
Put radish greens, toasted hazelnuts, grated cheese, a pinch of salt and black pepper as well as about 3/4 of the rapeseed oil into your kitchen blender and briefly blend until the pesto reached your desired consistency (of course you can also use a mortar). Add more rapeseed oil, depending on how saucy you want the pesto to be, then season to taste with more salt, pepper or grated cheese. Keeps in the fridge (always keep the surface well covered with oil) for several days.
Pesto with radish greens
Recipe source: own creation, inspired by Anke
Active time: ~15 minutes
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Ingredients (yields ~175g):
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40g radish greens (from organically grown small red radishes)
1 garlic clove
25g chopped hazelnuts (without skins)
40g Grana Padano
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
80-100 g rapeseed oil
serve with mozzarella di bufala, on crostini or pasta
I have made pesto with radish greens before, but I love the hazelnut idea. This is a great idea for spring when the greens start to get out of control.
Pesto aus Radieserl-Grün? Sehr interessant. Jetzt kommt hoffentlich bald die Biergarten-Zeit und dann ist immer genügend davon vorhanden. Wird ausprobiert.
Radish greens - that is interesting! If you don't use the food processor for pesto with olive oil - what do you use? Does the blender cause the same problem? I have noticed the bitterness before and don't like it.
This looks great! I've made pesto w/collard greens but that is as adventurous as I've got! Will def be trying this...
I like to make cilantro/coriander pesto. My favourite herb. It's good with anything tomatoey or anything with beans.
interesting suggestion.
Picture prefect and utterly stunning! I am a lover of Pest, shards of toast with pesto and la butter.. Yum I love the take on hazelnuts rather than pine nuts, radish.. is this basil as well?
Klingt sehr interessant, jetzt müssen nur noch meine "Bio"-Radieschen im Garten wachsen, damit ich das Rezept ausprobieren kann
Radieschenblätter habe ich schon zu Suppe verarbeitet - aber an Pesto hätte ich dabei nie gedacht. Danke für die Anregung!
Great idea! We've been making chicken sandwishes on artisan bread with pesto instead of mayo--so good!
I make "pesto" with beet greens or kale and Parmesan cheese. No nuts here (allergies), but it is plenty yummy without them, and no one would ever guess that I'm putting beet greens on their pasta! (Although when I do use the beet greens it turns the pasta a bit pink!)
Radieschenblätterpesto hatte ich mal bei einem Caterer bestellt und hat super geschmeckt. By the way - your photos drive me crazy!
very interesting! I was just thinking of making pesto with leftover basil that i have in my fridge. now i'm thinking of other leaves i can use to make pesto!
This looks amazing. I can't wait to find some radish greens and make it.
Thanks!
I've never ever heard of that - how interesting! I might be able to grow some radish (as I rarely buy them) and that would be a great way to use the greens. Thanks for the recipe and great idea.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I am super addicted to pesto myself, and made a mean spicy fettuccine with pesto. I will have to try your spin on it.
http://mspirouette.blogspot.com/2008/08/fettuccine-with-pesto.html
Oh wow! Never knew radish greens are edible. ***putting radish greens on my shopping list*** Love your blog!
Phoo-D, You can either use a mortar (and some patience) or put all the ingredients except the olive oil in the food processor, pulse it briefly with just a little sunflower or rapeseed oil, before adding the olive oil and giving it a final whirl by hand. The result is usually a little chunkier.
Petra, Bin schon auf dem Weg zu Deinem Blog... nach der Suppe suchen ;)
Johanna, Yum, beet greens are next on my list! Thanks for the idea!
Thats really a great idea, i will defiantly try this recipe, so simple. http://www.beaujolaisbistro.blogspot.com/
What a fabulous idea! It would never have occurred to me. The most exotic I ever get with pesto is to use arugula (i.e., not very exotic)...
Ich verstehe dieses plötzliche Auftauchen von Rapsöl überall nicht so ganz, ich finde den Geschmack ziemlich dominant und nicht besonders gut. Bisher habe ich eher Lobbykampagnen als tatsächliche Vorzüge dahinter vermutut, zumal als mir ein Kochbuch des größten deutschen Kochbuchverlags in die Hände fiel, in dem kein einziges Rezept mit Olivenöl, sondern alle mit Rapsöl oder höchstens Sonnenblumenöl zubereitet wurden. Unterstützt wurde dieses Buch passenderweise von der CMA.
Anyway, das Rezept oben hört sich jedenfalls trotzdem toll an, und ich werde es sicher ausprobieren, vielleicht täusch ich mich ja.
EDIT Nicky: Ich sehe das ganz ähnlich wie Hans Gerlach, wenn es das richtige Rapsöl ist, dann ist es wirklich ein Genuss - Lobbykampagnen dagegen beeindrucken meinen Gaumen gar nicht ;)
Wow, was it spicy? I've heard radish greens are quite peppery but I've never tried them myself.
Lange schon verfolge ich interessiert Ihren Blog. Allein die Photos. Schön1
Da schlage ich heute die neueste Ausgabe der 'move', ein business travel Magazin, auf und denke die Dame kenne ich doch.
Langsam sind Sie omnipräsent! ;)
Viel Erfolg weiterhin!
We were one of the first guinea pigs, I think, and while we loved it (on some simit-crostini), hubby unfortunately reacted with slight allergic symptoms. So today I wanted to prepare what I hoped would be an alternative, substituting the radish greens with carrot greens fresh from the market, and guess what: I am allergic to them! I found out the unfortunate interaction btw. weak kidneys and carrot greens too late. Sigh... Next time I'll make your original, Nicky, and Theo has to stay away from it.
Sounds perfect for my next Pesto Lasagne !
What a great recreation of pesto! It looks delicious!
Great idea! Have you ever tried pesto with a touch of truffle oil?
Fascinating!! My hit last year was wild garlic /Bärlauch/ pesto, but I can see that radish leaves would work, too..
Danke für den schönen Tipp mit den Radieschen. Mein liebstes Pesto bisher ist Bärlauch-Walnuss-Parmesan, abgerundet mit einem EL Honig. :)
What a cool idea - I will try it. I agree with you wholeheartedly about the use of food processors for this kind of thing. I had never pinned it on the olive oil (the garlic was my main suspect!) before now but you live and learn (fortunately!)
It was my first time here .Found from technorati.Nice blog~hey u gain another reader~me!
Wow, wouldn't have thought to use radish greens, will have to give it a try!
That's funny ... we had pesto last night (after being in culinary school all day, I wanted something simple). I think you can't go wrong with a good pesto - it isn't much work, but if it is done properly it adds an amazing flavor to anything you put it on (we had it with pasta - it's a classic).
Cheers!
Werde ich bei Gelegenheit auch ausprobieren! Selbstgemachtes Pesto errettet mich regelmäßig nach 12 Stunden im Büro und arbeiterunfreundlichen Supermarktöffnungszeiten...
absolutely stunning mmmh. I m a beginner at home-made pesto, though, please help me with the tools. I tried with blender but so the half gets stuck inside the blender....ahh. Thx so much
what a beautiful brilliant green these leaves give to the pesto!!!
To try, absolutely :)
Great pictures--they really make it look even more tasty!
What a great and seasonally appropriate recipe! You just never see recipes that call for radish greens. Once mine start growing outside, I'll give this recipe a try.
And thanks, too, for the helpful info about food processoring extra virgin olive oil.
Kristina
Sweetfern Handmade
I didn't know that you can eat radish green. I'll definitely try this recipe. I'm interested in healthy food of all kinds.
Ein Spitzenpesto!!! Wir haben das Rezept gerade ausprobiert und werden es definitiv noch ganz oft wiederholen... Vielen Dank für die ungewöhnliche, tolle Idee!!!
It's sad that basil pesto has become a cliché, but I know what you mean. But I suppose at least it forces us to try new things and search out new ingedients. I make a pesto/gremolata crossover that is great addition to pork or fish, and I shall try radish leaves too.
mmm... looks fantastic, thanks for the recipe!
Hallo Nicole,
auch wenn ich nicht viele Rezepte aus eurem Blog nachkochen oder backen kann, weil meine Tochter Milchprodukte und glutenhaltiges Getreie nicht essen darf (http://cookingformarie.blogspot.com), möchte ich euch dennoch ein Riesenkompliment machen: delicious days ist mit Abstand der schönste Foodblog, den ich kenne. Herzlichen Glückwunsch auch noch zum 4. Platz bei der Times!
Very interesting.. I don't think anyone could have guessed the radish greens! Come to think of it... I don't actually know any other dish with radish leaves in it!
wow that looks really like interesting flavour combo! Nice!
Donal
Great idea, I never would have thought of. Bravo. Very creative way of cooking.
A really great idea, Nicky! I definitely have to try this one out 'cause I can't really imagine how this tastes like. Radish greens...
And the thing with pesto and olive oil - it really gets a bit bitter sometimes. But now I know how to avoid it so this pesto problem isn't a problem anymore! Thanks to you.
Will definitely try this later in spring. My own favorite is pesto with wild rucola and roasted pine nuts, and a bit of honey.
Do you think I will like radish greens if I do not like radishes? Completely unrelated: I love your blog (you do not get tired of hearing that do you?) and am a food blog newbie. I wanted to let you know that I ran a challenge a few weeks ago and it was a big success so now I am running one that involves PEEPS. Please take a look if you get a chance.
Tolle Idee! Ich verwende oft Blätter von Gemüsen, z.B. vom Kohlrabi, die geben gehackt eine schöne Würze ans Kohlrabigemüse oder die Kohlrabisuppe. Ebenso habe ich bislang auch Radieschenblätter mitverarbeitet, aber auf die Pesto-Idee wär ich nicht gekommen! Klasse, wird ausprobiert.
Hi Nicky and Oliver!
Just came across your blog for the first time. I love pesto, and I was anything but bored to read that as my introduction to your site. Looks delicious! Can't wait to see what you cook up next, and looking forward to being a regular reader :)
Wenn das Pesto so lecker schmeckt wie die Fotos ausschauen, ist es unschlagbar. Danke, das werde ich auf jeden Fall mal ausprobieren.
Fantastic site! And this looks awesome, I love Pesto :)
Yummy!!!
I just had watercress pesto from a UK company called Daylesford organic, and I loved it, but I did notice a bitter taste from the oil there too. They used a mix of olive oil and sunflower oil in theirs, but I thought that it was the sunflower taste I didn't like. Must have been wrong...
nice idee...hm, various roads to rome...bravo...
What a marvelous idea! I hate to think how many radish leaves I have thrown away over the years. Can't wait to taste one on the next bunch of radishes I buy.
hallo, wunderbare Idee!
Und ein super Link zum Thema Rapsöl, (in den Kommetaren) ich habe noch eine Frage:
welche Alternative zu Haselnüssen wäre empfehlenswert?
EDIT Nicky: Also ich mag gerade den Geschmack der Haselnüsse besonders gern bei diesem Pesto, als Alternative eignen sich aber bestimmt auch Mandeln oder die klassischen Pesto-Nüsse Pinienkerne gut - beide bringen dann halt nur einen etwas milderen Eigengeschmack mit als die Haselnüsse.
What a lovely variation--radish greens? Who'd of thunk it?! What a beautiful, vibrant green, too. Are you sure the basil didn't get even a little bit jealous as it watched you let radish usurp his place? :D
Thanks for the tip on food processor. I've made pesto with extra virgin olive oil which came out bitter. I found the bitterness decreased after a few days when stored in fridge. I don't know why though...
Love your blog and your recipes.
Just started a blog of my own.
Please take a look and I would love your comments: http://www.flavorsinlove.com
It works! It works! It works!!!!!!!! The recipe is amazing, so if any of you haven't tried it - do so - it's worth it.
Thanks so much - you site rocks!
I got addicted to this! Hab's mir gerade heute wieder gemacht und frag mich jetzt, ob nicht auch andere bislang verschmähte "Blätter" sich in noch unbekannte Köstlichkeiten verwandeln lassen. Die großen Blätter der Kohlrabi hab ich heute jedenfall vorsorglich nicht entsorgt. Vielleicht hat ja wer einen Tipp dazu oder überkommt mich in den nächsten Tagen die Experimentierlust.
Wow...thank you!
Gardening on a small plot makes you really hate throwing anything away, and now I have a use for my fast-growing radishes' greens!
I have used watercress in the past, with the usual, and always delish...so this is great...another option for the endless requests I get for something different!!
Ich habe es gestern ausprobiert und bin begeistert.
Wir haben im Ort eine Rapsölpresse und
das Öl ist viel besser, als die im "normalen" Supermarkt erhältlichen.
Das Olivenöl bitter werden kann, weiss ich auch erst seit kurzem, vorher wunderte ich
mich immer über den leicht bitteren Geschmack von meinem Basilikumpesto.
[...] recipe is simple enough, with measurements only based loosely on the Delicious Days recipe. I really like to make pesto to taste, so use your judgment here. My recipe produced two 8-ounce [...]
You must see my ode to your recipe over at EatBoutique. I made it with beet greens and cannot believe I haven't done it before as it's divine!
Delicious. Pesto and garlic are a great combination. However, ensure you're using California-grown garlic, as opposed to imported garlic. California garlic has a much bolder, smooth flavor than Chinese, Mexican or Argentine garlic.
Wow, that looks yummy. Sometimes a simple pasta dish with pesto is the BEST.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Sarah
[...] Good Now” for March, Egg But No Bacon’s Nettle Pesto and delicious:day’s Radish Leaf Pesto [...]
I cannot believe I threw the leaves in the trash for years, this tastes so good.
[...] toen ik een workshop aan het samenstellen was met als thema lente. Ik vond dit te gekke recept op delicious days van collega-blogger Nicole Stich. De eieren, het lamsvlees, de asperges en ananas waren allemaal [...]
Now, that's an unusual Pesto !
Here's a One page cookbook : 1001 Pestos you might want to look at !
http://ramkicooks.blogspot.com/2009/06/1001-no-cook-pesto-recipes.html
/Cheers
Ramki
[...] Extra-virgin olive oil contains bitter tasting polyphenols coated by fatty acids, which prevent them from dispersing. If the oil is emulsified in a food processor, these polyphenols get squeezed out and the liquid mix turns bitter ( as read here). [...]
[...] a few pots of basil and I will make pesto with radish greens. The recipe is from the same website: Pesto - been there, done that? Wait! delicious:days I'll visit my parents in about a month and if I can convince mom to let me play in the kitchen [...]
I love experimenting with updating classic recipes, so I can't wait to try this one out. You should also try out this variation of pesto made with Kale and Pumpkin Seeds. Enjoy!