Sorrel, spinach and pistachio pesto

I was so excited to find sorrel at the market last week – it’s still not a commonplace ingredient in the US, but I grew up eating it in salads and soups, which are a big part of Eastern European cuisine. In fact, I already wrote about this soup and these sorrel and leek pancakes ages ago.

There are several varieties of sorrel and I was able to get my hands on both the regular “French” sorrel and some redwood sorrel which is especially pretty (that’s it in the photo above).

Fun fact: in French, the word for sorrel is oseille and it’s a also slang for money, likely because of it’s very green color!

If you’ve never tried sorrel, it is quite tart and packs a punch of flavor so, it is best when paired with other nutritious greens or against something creamy. This pesto offers a little bit of both.

Tips: Serve with fresh pasta, eggs, or smeared on toast and topped with some radishes.

Sorrel, spinach and pistachio pesto

You’ll need:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh sorrel (I mixed the two varieties, but any will do)
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/3 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt, pepper

1. Wash and chop all of the greens roughly before combining them with the pistachios and the olive oil in a food processor.

2. Chop/grind to combine, adding a little bit more olive oil, as needed, as you go along.

3. Taste, season well with salt and pepper.

Since this pesto doesn’t have any cheese in it, it will keep covered in the fridge for 5-6 days and/or freeze well.