Make Ahead

Garlic Mustard Pesto

May  6, 2014
0
0 Ratings
Photo by Yossy Arefi
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This simple recipe brings out the mildly garlic flavors of this wild invasive herb. Great with pasta or as a salsa for meat or fish. Try to use the light green tips, not the dark green bottom leaves which can be bitter. Adapted from preparation by Roger Ma, Restaurant Daniel. —tama matsuoka wong

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Ingredients
  • 11 cups lightly packed garlic mustard leaves and tips, loosely chopped
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 squeezes lemon juice
Directions
  1. In a blender, grind the garlic, pine nuts and parmesan.
  2. Add the garlic mustard.
  3. While blending, pour in a steady stream of the olive oil for 1 minutes, or until smooth.
  4. Add salt, sugar, lemon juice and pulse until mixed.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Tama Matsuoka Wong is the principal at Meadowsandmore, a wild food purveyor and educational studio.

7 Reviews

Ruth W. April 26, 2020
Cyanide production has been reported from over 2500 plant species, including some members of the Brassicaceae. We report that the important invasive plant, Alliaria petiolata, produces levels of cyanide in its tissues that can reach 100 ppm fresh weight (FW), a level considered toxic to many vertebrates.
tama M. April 26, 2020
Please note that studies have shown that it is at the level toxic to insects and pests but not to animals and people. If there is a recent study that has found otherwise please cite your journal source.
Tiffany J. April 14, 2017
I also weight my garlic mustard and it was about 6 ounces, in case anyone's curious. :)
Tiffany J. April 14, 2017
Just made this with a full cup of Parmesan (1/3 C seemed just too scanty). :) Also! I used 2 tsp lemon juice and it was perfect. Had to fry up an egg quickly to test it out and it's amazing!
tama M. April 26, 2020
Great to hear!
tama M. May 12, 2014
by "tips" I mean the top couple inches of the plant where the stem and leaves are joining. The main thing is to avoid any two stiff and fibrous stems, younger stems work fine.
Horto May 11, 2014
what do you mean by the tips?
buds?

i have made this....