Cilantro Walnut Pesto

Korkin''s Note:

For a light pasta sauce with a pungent herb taste. I made this because cilantro is much cheaper than basil at the grocery store. I served this with a mixture of pasta and cooked spaghetti squash. I didn't measure (I'm bad at that) so keep that in mind and just add amounts that suit your needs.

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 cup

• ¼ chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic , minced
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese , shredded
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat the walnuts in skillet over medium heat to toast. They are done when they smell slightly toasty and nutty.
2. Meanwhile, get to chopping. Start with the garlic then gradually add in the cilantro, cheese, and evenutally the walnuts when toasted. Chop until the mixture is very fine, almost a paste. Add the seasonings, zest and juice and mix.
3. Pour a drizzle of olive oil over the pesto slowly until it is saturated. Taste it and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
4. When serving, reserve 1/4 cup hot cooking liquid and toss in a bowl with the hot pasta or veggies. Do not cook or it will lose a lot of its flavor. Add extra oil and lemon juice or rice vinegar to make it a dressing. A good dressing ratio is 2 parts oil to one part acid.