Untraditional Pesto

I received garlic scapes in my CSA basket from "Cooper's Farm" this week, along with bunches of fresh spinach, and a variety of other springtime veggies. Since scapes have such a short season (much like fiddleheads), I wanted to use them in a manner that we can enjoy them all summer long. So when you're given spinach and scapes, you make pesto (in my books anyway!!) This is lovely on pasta, used in place of hot mustard for sausages, on top of burgers, mixed into sour cream and mayonnaise to make a vegetable or tortilla chip dip, or even with steaks or pork chops...basically anywhere you'd use traditional basil-based pesto!

SPINACH & GARLIC SCAPE PESTO

Ingredients:

2 cups spinach leaves, rinsed and dried

1/2 cup roughly chopped garlic scapes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup EVOO

2 tbsp unsalted butter

salt & pepper

• Place spinach, garlic scapes and cheese in a food processor. Pulse until chunky.


• With machine running, pour in EVOO in a steady stream.


• Process until smooth.


• Add butter and salt and pepper (to taste), and continue processing until really smooth.


• Enjoy on your favourite pasta, pizza, grilled meats, or in dips!!!