Springtime pesto with peas as the star

Bennion

One spring visit to the farmers market two years ago was the inspiration for this pea pesto recipe. Peas are often seen as a side, but I wanted to make it the star.

The end product is versatile for many uses. Our favorite way to enjoy it is to grab a baguette, toast it lightly, and spread this green goodness all around.

Higher latitudes mean we spend a bit more time in colder weather than the rest of the country. There is a reason some of us keep our snow tires on until April 30. But that just makes Montanans appreciate spring even more when it comes, right?

When I crawl out of my winter cave, I am on the hunt for something fresh and green. That can mean heading to the local farmers market or finding produce grown around my area in stores. And it's around this time when you can easily come across some nice and fresh spring peas.

One spring visit to the farmers market two years ago was the inspiration for this pea pesto recipe. Peas are often seen as a side, but I wanted to make it the star. Even if you don't have a farmers market by you or it's not open until later in the year, you can also use frozen peas to make this an anytime-of-year appetizer.

The first thing you will notice when you take a bite of this special pesto is the sweetness from the peas. As the star, it deserves to shine and bring its best qualities to the forefront. Just behind that is both herbiness and saltiness, coming from the basil and parmesan cheese. The garlic is very light and the pistachios bring just the right amount of texture.

One of the many qualities you will love about this pesto is the color. It is the most vibrant green you will ever see. If you happen to have a little leftover, cover it with plastic wrap, and save it in the fridge — it will be just as bright the day after.

There are three other things to love about this recipe. First, if you are a beginner cook, this is within your skill range. Sure, there is a bit of chopping and measuring involved, but I have no doubt you can pull this off. Skilled chefs will also find it delicious.

Adding Eritrea to Montana's culinary table

Second, the end product is versatile for many uses. Our favorite way to enjoy it is to grab a baguette, toast it lightly, and spread this green goodness all around. But you could also mix it in with some freshly cooked pasta, add it to a charcuterie board with crackers, or use it as a spread on a sandwich.

Finally, all pestos (including this one) are customizable for many palates. Want to swap out half of the basil for mint? Go right ahead. Don't have pistachios, but you do have almonds or pine nuts. Be my guest. Want to use a saltier pecorino cheese for a little twist? Knock yourself out.

Look at my recipe as a starting point and adjust to your tastes. For my own taste buds, I like to add a bit of topical red chili flake for a bit of color and a fun capricious hit of heat. Happy spring!

(Serves 4-6 as an appetizer)

Ingredients:

2 cups peas

1/8 cup pistachios

1 large garlic clove grated

Zest of ¼ lemon

Juice of ½ lemon

½ cup olive oil

12-15 large basil leaves

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

Salt and pepper

Optional: red chili flake

Directions:

If you are using fresh peas, blanch your peas in boiling water for 2 minutes (until they are very green) and then put into ice cold water. Drain them and pat dry. If you are using frozen peas, allow them to thaw on paper towels to drain off excess water.

Blitz your pistachios in a food processor to start breaking them down into smaller pieces. Add your peas and basil and pulse until you get them broken down into a rough paste. Remove from the food processor into a bowl. Grate your lemon zest into the pea mixture and add the lemon juice. Add the parmesan, grated garlic, and olive oil. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Optional toppings include more chopped pistachios, more lemon zest, a little topical olive oil, and/or red chili flake.

A delicious culinary contribution from Indian Country

Jon Bennion is a native Montanan, born and raised in Billings. Outside of his day job as an attorney, you can find Jon experimenting in the kitchen and developing recipes that often feature a Montana ingredient or story. Jon posts on Instagram as Intermediate Chef (@intermediatechef) and lives in Clancy.

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