Parsley Pesto Recipe
INSPIRED BY GREECE
SA
For competitors in Greek athletic games similar to what are now the Olympics, the material goal was not a gold medal. Instead, the winners received a crown of parsley. The modern-day herb was not viewed as food in those days because ancient Greeks held parsley sacred.
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Ancient Greeks viewed parsley as sacred because according to ancient Greek legend, the plant grew out of the hero Archemorus’s blood when he was killed and eaten by serpents.
SAVE FOR LATER
Makes 1/2 cup
Ingredients
1/4 cup shelled walnuts
2 loosely-packed cups fresh parsley
2 loosely-packed cups fresh dill
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil
Directions
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Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. Blend until the desired consistency forms.
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If using a mortar and pestle, crush the walnuts until a fine crumb forms. Add the parsley, dill, and garlic, and mash until smooth. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Mash until the desired consistency forms.
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Store pesto in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to one week. Use throughout the week in the next two recipes. Pesto can last in an airtight container in the freezer for up to six months.
Uses
Dolmades
Dolmades are one of the most iconic dishes in Greek cuisine. But these rice-stuffed grape leaves were first made in Turkey, where dolma is a word that means something filled. The dish’s other common cousin is stuffed peppers.
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Hummus Bowl
Hummus, which is the word for chickpea in Arabic, traces its roots back to Egypt during the 13th century. Then after years and years of trade between Egypt and Greece, hummus arrived in Greece and is now a modern staple.
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