Radish tops pesto
You know me, I love a pesto as a useful receptacle for all things green – and the peppery tops of my radishes are no exception. Radish tops don’t stay fresh for very long, so once separated from the little pink or purple radishes, bag them up or wrap them in slightly damp paper, store in the fridge, and eat within a day or two. The taste is something like nettles, but milder, and can be tossed into salads or wilted into curries. The larger leaves can be rough and stingy to touch, so not recommended for salads, but can be made into great pesto instead…
Fistful of radish leaves
50g cashew nuts or pine nuts
2 fat cloves of garlic
50ml oil – sunflower or groundnut work well
50g hard strong cheese
Zest and juice of half a lemon
Finely chop the garlic and leaves, and grate the cheese. Add to a blender with the oil, lemon juice and nuts, and pulse until combined. Loosen with a little extra oil, or water, if needed. Store in a clean jar in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Radish tops pesto recipe from .
Jack Monroe. Twitter: @MsJackMonroe. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/agirlcalledjack
Photograph by Jack Monroe.
Categories: PASTA, VEGETARIAN
I love it when a recipe saves me from putting a perfectly good ingredient to compost. I’ll try this thanks !
Excellent idea. Radishes are so cheap and easy to grow, but I’ve never tried using radish tops in cooking before.
Oh lovely! I already make soup with radish tops but never thought of pesto! 🙂
Such a good idea! I tend to chop my radish (and turnip, and beet) greens and melt them into simple soups with potatoes and lots of garlic. I bet this would be even better!
Fab idea – never thought of that!
I made some of your Best-O Pesto and used it in a pizza base – made an amazing pastry/biscuit like base