Pesto tastes great added to cooked pasta, vegetables, sandwiches and fish. Unfortunately, pesto bought in the shops is often high in salt, so this easy recipe is a nice alternative.
- 50 g pine nuts
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 150 ml olive oil
- 50 g fresh basil leaves
- juice of approximately ½ lemon
- ½ tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
- black pepper
Method
- Place nuts, garlic and olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend for a few seconds to break up the nuts and garlic.
- Then add the basil leaves, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and black pepper and continue to blend until you have a thick, smooth paste.
- Add more lemon juice and black pepper to taste.
The pesto keeps well in the fridge with a thin layer of olive oil on top to exclude the air for 3–4 days. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays and have handy portions on standby at any time.
Adapted with thanks from ‘Eating Well for Kidney Health: Expert Guidance and Delicious Recipes. By Jackson H, Green C, James G. Class Publishing 2009’
