Pesto with a Little Twist

As you probably know already pesto is typically made with basil and pine nuts. The first time I made pesto I was still in college and trying to be frugal so I opted out of buying a $10 bag of pine nuts and used walnuts as a cheaper substitute. I also didn't have quite enough basil so I ended up using half arugula and half basil which gave the pesto a really nice peppery taste.

Arugula and Basil Pesto
Yields: 4 cups

Ingredients:
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts (you can use all pine nuts or all walnuts if you prefer, I like to use a little of both)
8 cloves of chopped garlic
2 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 1/2 cups arugula
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
To toast the pine nuts and walnuts place them in a skillet over medium heat and toast until fragrant. Place the pine nuts, walnuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process for 15 seconds.  Place the basil, arugula, salt and pepper in the food processor. While the processor is running, slowly pour in the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store in the refrigerator with a thin film of olive on top (this keeps the air from spoiling the pesto).

Note: The pesto is obviously great for pasta or gnocchi dishes, but I also like to use it on flank steaks. You can thin out the pesto with a little bit of white wine vinegar and warm water to make a nice sauce for the steak.

Enjoy!