Garlicky Fennel Walnut Pesto

Freshly grown organic produce is always appreciated. What makes it super special is when you have grown it yourself with a group of coworkers. In a communal planting effort my organization SAS helped order planters, organic seedlings, gardening tools and organized us into teams. Our planter was bursting at the seams and it was time to harvest.

My kind coworker did the needful snipping. I returned to my desk after teaching a class to find swiss chard and fennel fronds. I had an idea for the swiss chard, but fennel fronds ? I’ve heard of using the fennel root, but not fronds.. What was I going to do.. looking at the green colour, pesto kept coming to mind.

So here’s my quick and easy garlicky fennel walnut pesto.

2 cups fennel fronds, washed 1 cup organic walnuts 1 tsp fresh lime juice

Spice Mix 2 hot thai chili peppers ½ tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp coconut oil 5 cloves garlic ½ tsp urad dal Salt to taste

Method

• Wash and cut fennel fronds into smaller bits. Throw away any woody stems, but reserve the tender stems for the pesto. Set aside.

• Heat coconut oil in pan.

• Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the urad seeds, hot chili peppers and garlic.

• Stir everything till lightly brown.

• Add fennel fronds and walnut and saute till fennel is soft.

• Grind everything in food processor till lightly grainy. You can always grind it fine, I just happen to like the grainy texture.

• Add salt and freshly squeezed lime juice.

• I served the pesto with rice noodles and it was yummy. You can choose to serve it with pasta or even just steamed rice and paired with baked sweet potato rounds. Heaven!!

–charuyoga–

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