Thinking outside the basil box
By JIM ROMANOFF
For The Associated Press
Twenty-five years ago most of us hadn't heard of pesto. Today, it's ubiquitous enough to adorn pizzas, burgers, even potato chips.
But while this puree of basil, garlic and pine nuts has a healthy, fresh image, it can pack serious fat and calories. Along with herbs and nuts, most versions of the uncooked Italian sauce are made with plenty of cheese, olive oil, sometimes even butter.
In reality, a little bit of intensely flavored pesto goes a long way, so you can get flavorful results while using very little. But there also are plenty of ways to lighten up the sauce.
Cilantro and toasted almond pesto is a light alternative to conventional basil versions. Cilantro is a fine choice for pesto because it has a powerful flavor. Combined with a few cloves of raw garlic, it creates a sauce base that is fresh and assertive.
Instead of pine nuts, this pesto uses slivered almonds that have been toasted for extra flavor.
The mixture is pureed with a modest amount of extra-virgin olive oil and only a few tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. Be sure to use a high quality cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, to get the finest flavor.
The sauce also is blended with a few tablespoons of fresh lime juice, which bumps up the taste even more and enhances the freshness of the cilantro.
The resulting sauce is lighter than most basil pestos and makes an excellent topping for fish, poultry or flatbread. If you like, swirl a spoonful into your favorite soup as a flavor-boosting garnish.
If you serve the pesto with pasta, thin it with a bit of the starchy pasta cooking water. This helps to stretch the pesto (while cutting fat and calories) and gives it more coating power.
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CILANTRO AND TOASTED ALMOND PESTO
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Makes 3/4 cup (about 12 servings)
In a small, dry skillet over medium-low, stir the slivered almonds until they are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cool for 5 minutes.
In a food processor or blender, combine the toasted almonds, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed.
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 52 calories; 44 calories from fat; 5 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 1 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 0 g fiber; 81 mg sodium.
