Pacific Pesto

This is a recipe my mom first tried in late March 2013. It is from the December issue of Traditional Home magazine. My mother is good at saving recipes she wants to try and—better yet—she actually tries them. Sort of.

I say “sort of” because she does not always follow recipes exactly. That may be where I get it from. We both often modify recipes based on what we have on hand when we start cooking.

This was originally called “Pasadena Pesto.” But because we made it to suit our larder, I renamed it Pacific Pesto. This is great as a dip, used on sandwiches as a spread, mixed with chicken to make a chicken salad, or spread on plantain chip and topped with a tomato slice as in the photo below.

Pacific Pesto
Makes 1½ cups
4 cups packed fresh spinach
½ cup packed fresh basil
¼ packed fresh sweet cicily (this is growing in my garden; you can substitute cilantro or dill)
¼ cup packed fresh parsley (I have also used burnet, which is also growing in my garden)
¼ cup sliced green onion (or chives)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (or coconut aminos if you are avoiding soy)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (look for gluten-free)
1 teaspoon peeled and minced ginger root
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 clove garlic, minced
Several dashes of your favorite hot pepper sauce

In a saucepan, cook the spinach, covered, in a few tablespoons of water and let it steam for 2 to 3 minutes, or until leaves are wilted. Drain spinach in a fine mesh strainer, pressing out as much moisture as possible. Use a paper towel to press out remaining moisture.

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Adjust the amount of olive oil as needed to reach your desired consistency.