Arugula Pesto Snap Beans Food

ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• Place arugula, cheese, almonds, garlic, salt, and pepper in the jar of a blender or bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to chop. Add lemon juice and pulse until pureed. With the motor running, add olive oil and puree until smooth. Use immediately or store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and drop in the garlic cloves. When they are chopped and adhering to the sides, stop the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the walnuts. Turn on the machine, and process until they are finely ground. Scrape down the bowl again, and add the arugula and the salt. Pulse until the arugula is finely chopped, then turn on the machine and run while you slowly drizzle in the olive oil. When the mixture is smooth, stop the machine, scrape down the sides and process for another 30 seconds or so. Scrape out into the bowl of a mortar and pestle. Grind the mixture with the pestle for a smoother texture. Work in the cheese and combine well.

ARUGULA PESTO SNAP BEANS

Steps:

• Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt and return to a boil. Prepare an ice-water bath and set aside.
• Add beans to boiling water and cook until bright in color and barely tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to ice-water bath to cool. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel; transfer to refrigerator until chilled, up to 2 hours.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together pesto and olive oil until well combined. Place beans in a large bowl, along with arugula and 1/2 cup cheese; season with salt and pepper to taste. Add pesto-olive oil mixture and gently stir just once to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and serve at room temperature or store in an airtight container, refrigerated, until ready to serve, up to 1 day.

PENNE WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• To prepare the penne:
• In a large saucepan of salted boiling water blanch the sugar snap peas for 45 seconds, or until they are crisp-tender, transfer them with a skimmer to a large serving bowl, and toss them with 1/2 cup of the pesto. In the boiling water cook the pasta until it is al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta-cooking water, and drain the pasta in a colander. In the bowl with the sugar snap peas toss the pasta with the reserved pasta-cooking water, 1/4 cup of the remaining pesto, or to taste, and salt and pepper to taste.
• To make the pesto:
• In a food processor combine the arugula, the walnuts, the Parmesan or Sardo, the salt, and the garlic and pulse the motor until the walnuts are chopped fine. With the motor running add the oil in a stream and blend the pesto with hot cooked pasta, potatoes, or vegetables. The pesto keeps, chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap, for 2 weeks. Makes about 2 cups.