Pea shoots, or tendrils, are a delicious treat of spring. While we’re at the end of their season, you can easily preserve their tender pea flavor by making pesto. Below are two variations made with cilantro and lime or mint and lemon for you to choose your own culinary adventure.
Pairing suggestions: Try the cilantro-lime variety served with fish, beans or rice and the mint-lemon variety served with lamb or pasta. Pea shoot pesto is also a great way to add a little green and extra flavor to sandwiches, crudité plates or dolloped on hummus.
Pea Shoot Pesto with Cilantro and Lime
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups pea shoots
- 1/4-1/2 cup cilantro, leaves and stems
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/3-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Juice of half a lime, or to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1/4-1/2 cup nuts or seeds (e.g. pumpkin seeds, walnuts)
Pea Shoot Pesto with Mint and Lemon
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups pea shoots
- 1/4-1/2 cup mint leaves, stripped from stems
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/3-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Juice of half a lemon, or to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1/4-1/2 cup nuts or seeds (e.g. pumpkin seeds, walnuts)
Instructions
- Prepare the pea shoots, giving them a good rinse and removing any tough stems. You may want to coarsely chop them to make it easier to process.
- In a food processor, combine pea shoots, herbs, garlic, oil, parmesan, citrus juice and nuts if you choose.
- Pulse or blend until well combined.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- PRO TIP: Making pesto is more an art than a science as you may have inferred from the approximate amounts of ingredients listed above. When you’ve blended all the ingredients, give it a taste and see what you think. Depending on your preference or freshness of ingredients, it may need more oil, juice, salt and pepper, or any of the ingredients. Make it your own!