Feta, Pine Nut and Mint Pesto

- Jenny

I will admit I am not exactly a snout-to-tail kind of gal -- my kids are not that adventurous and I am just not that skilled -- but I do fancy myself a stem-to-flower cook. This is largely because I am both cheap and nervous.  

After realizing last year that there was a dearth of herbs at many of the farmers markets in D.C., I decided to take matters into my own hands this spring, and got to planting. This has yielded all the expected pleasures: Is there anything more divine than a salad fashioned from the cucumber and sorrel you just picked three minutes ago? And disappointments: Damn you cilantro and your sad little appearance, like an extra in J. J. Abrams film! But this has also made me covetous of every little leaf. 

I just cannot let anything go to waste, and have taken to gnawing on Thai basil straight from the pot (not bad, a little dirty) and freezing it too (will let you know how that turns out in February). With a two-week vacation looming, I simply could not stand to let my regular basil and mint go unused and possibly dry out in my absence. 

So the night before I left, I whipped up Raw Blood Orange Cucumber Composed Salad w/ Bulgarian Feta, Pine Nut & Mint Pesto by coffeefoodwritergirl. (I need to be clear that I did not make the salad, though I have no doubt given the ingredient list that it is delicious and a great accompaniment to this pesto.)

The great joy of pesto, of course, is that it takes approximately the length of one Beyoncé song to make. Before you know it, you’re dumping it over some perciatelli and serving it to your across-the-street neighbors who stopped by for a bite, one of whom may or may not be telling you that anthropology is a “step child discipline of the Enlightenment” but you’re not really sure because you were too busy dancing a little to listen carefully and besides all Washington dinner conversations are like this, so you’ll catch up next week. 

There are two revelations about this recipe: who knew feta could be used for pesto, and what a thrill to make it without garlic. I don’t know what Bulgarian feta is so I cannot proclaim if it is superior to the sort I had in my fridge, but let me tell you, it makes for a mighty fine sauce -- smooth and tangy. Don’t worry about measuring your herbs too terribly much, it will be good. Make sure your pine nuts are as fresh as possible -- the lingering taste of a rancid pine nut is a new addition to the growing list of why I need to clean out my pantry soon. 

The husband of the couple from across the street, who is not a fan of any cheese, pushed his pasta to the side in favor of a burger, and his wife, not missing a beat, grabbed the bowl and polished it off.  “I have to have this recipe immediately!” she said, moaning slightly. 

Done.

Enjoy Jenny? See the Tender Yellow Cake she baked last week -- a perfect pedestal for all your summer berries.

By day, Jennifer Steinhauer, aka Jenny, covers Congress for The New York Times. By night, she is an obsessive cook.