Sorrel Pesto

Sorrel is a beautiful plant that is incredibly easy to grow. There is the broad leaf variety pictured above and also a lovely red veined variety that is so pretty with the red throughout.   It is a perennial green that produces early in spring and late into the fall.  It is a lovely plant to grow in your garden and is a super healthy green that is popping up at more and more farmers market stands.  It produces masses of edible green leaves filled with Vitamin A, Vitamin C and potassium.  In the spring time, it adds a pop of colour and bright taste to an early green salad and later in the year it works well added to other greens in recipes or in making a sauce (it is kind of like the squeeze of lemon juice).  The leaves have a tangy lemony taste that is a little sour and bitter.  Some describe it as a sour apple candy taste.  I love having it in my garden and have enjoyed finding interesting ways to use it.

This quick and easy pesto is made with sorrel, garlic, sunflower seeds, salt, and olive oil.  This fresh light lemony tasting pesto adds a boost of flavour to roasted potatoes, gnocchi, pasta, soup, and sauces.  It also makes a wonderful and healthy alternative to butter or mayo on avocado tomato toast or sandwiches.

Sorrel Pesto

20 sorrel leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Add sorrel, garlic and sunflower seeds to food processor and process until leaves and seeds are ground up.  Add parmesan cheese,  salt and olive oil.  Taste to adjust seasonings, adding salt, olive oil as needed to desired consistency. This pesto will keep well refrigerated or can be frozen for later use.