Opening Day and Arugula Pesto

It's like a holiday. We mark it on the calendar and count down the weeks and days. We muse about what treasures it will bring this year. And when it finally comes, we forgo an extra hour or two of sleep and rush over. I'm talking about the first day of the farmers market, which just happened to be yesterday.

We stocked up on arugula, Tuscan kale, rainbow chard, carrots, French breakfast radishes, leeks, farm-fresh butter, Dungeness crabmeat, and saucisson sec. We also picked up a baguette, a couple of pastries for breakfast, a fragrant strawberry mint start to put in the garden, and more than a little inspiration.

The first thing I made with our glorious produce was a huge batch of Arugula Pesto.


Arugula Pesto
Printable Recipe

6 ounces baby arugula
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup grated Parmegiano-Reggiano
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Makes nearly 2 cups. Toss with pasta, stir into soup, spread on sandwiches, or spoon over grilled steak. Keeps for a couple of days tightly sealed in the refrigerator.