Vibrant Pesto: It's Time that You Cook with Arugula Pods

 

Mariah Loves Earth. Arugula Pods. 2024.

One of my absolute favourite parts of summer is reaping the rewards of my garden. There is nothing like having a good harvest of fresh herbs, vegetables, and berries. This year, a family member happened to learn that the pods of arugula are edible. 

Arugula, also known as rocket, is one of my favourite garden plants with its spicy peppery leaves—it also helps that it grows vigorously like a weed! Arugula often goes best with salads, on pizza, or mixed in with pasta. The pods retain that strong peppery flavour, but with the addition of an added nuttiness, they taste great except they are so rich in insoluble fibre that they can be a bit tough to chew. Immediately, I realized what better way to go than vibrant pesto! You get the benefit of that strong, bright, flavour without the lengthy chewing. Below, I have listed my Garden Blend Pesto recipe that serves approximately four to six people.

 

Mariah Loves Earth. Garden Blend Pesto. 2024.

Garden Blend Pesto 

     Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh Italian basil leaves (packed)
• 1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves
• 1/2 cup arugula pods
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
• Salt and pepper to taste

      Instructions

1. Wash and sort the greens, removing stems and wilted leaves. With a sharp knife, pre-chop the arugula pods as this will help them break down easier in the food processor. Trim the ends from the garlic and remove the outer skin. 
2. Place the greens and garlic into the food process and turn it onto the highest setting. Use 30 second bursts, and scrape down the sides in-between bursts. This should take approximately two to three minutes. At this point the greens and garlic should take on a minced appearance. 
3. Add the sunflower seeds to the food processor and blend on the highest setting until finely ground and well-combined. You may notice that the arugula pods are still not as finely broken down, but that it alright as they will become more-so with later steps. 
4. Add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano to the mix and pulse until fully combined. 
5. With the food processor running, drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil and the lemon juice. At this point, the mixture should be taking on the appearance of pesto. You should notice that all the components have broken down and that the arugula pods are no longer visible. Keep the food processor running until your desired consistency has been achieved. 
6. Now you get to try it! Add salt and pepper to taste, and determine whether you would like to add more lemon juice. 
7. I recommend serving fresh with a nice bowl of al dente whole-wheat pasta. I served it with mafalda corta but any short, wavy or ribbed, pasta shape will work great. (You want pasta with a lot of texture that will grip the pesto). To serve, you will want to grate additional Parmigiano Reggiano and you can use any remaining small basil leaves as garnish. 
8. The pesto can be stored in an airtight jar for up to a week.