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SUPPER: Harold McGee's tomato-leaf pesto
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SUPPER: Harold McGee's tomato-leaf pesto
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| Photo l Felicia D'Ambrosio |
| Tomato plants in full foliage, top; basil, below. |
A garden, be it contained in window boxes or perched on a fire escape, is a generous pet. Take care of your helpless plants and they will reward you with friendly foliage � soothing to look at, scented to combat the funk of a city summer and eventually bearing the most local of local produce.
Tomatoes and herbs are two ideal starters for novice gardeners. Basil, like tomatoes, thrives in full sun and sprouts new growth almost hourly. Harvest basil from the top, pinching the top leaves just above the new growth nodes below it, and the basil will be productive all summer. Nothing is better for a bounty of basil than a bright pesto, whose flavor can be deepened by tomato leaves.
Pruning the lower stalks of leaves from tomato plants directs the plant�s energy into producing fruit � but what to do with those cut-off leaves?� Food scientist and New York Times contributor Harold McGee explored tomato leaves� poisonous reputation in his Curious Cook column last week, and determined that there are zero dangerous alkaloids in the greens. He shared Paul Bertolli�s recipe for red sauce enriched with the leaves, as well as a suggestion to enhance pesto with the blanched and pureed cuttings. After the jump, we test out Harold McGee�s Tomato-Leaf Pesto plan.
Harold McGee�s Tomato-Leaf Pesto
Yield: Enough pesto for dinner for four � try it over pasta, on pizza, rolled up into a stuffed chicken breast, as a spread on a grilled veggie sandwich, etc.
Go Get This:
Four stalks of tomato leaves, rinsed
Two or three big handfuls fresh basil, rinsed and dried and picked off stems
Several glugs extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Two turns freshly cracked smoked black pepper
� cup Pecorino-Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano grated cheese
Now Do This:
Cut the tomato leaves away from their stalks.
Boil a large pot of salted water to a full rolling boil. Immerse the tomato leaves in the water for approximately 15 seconds, then remove and shock in a large bowl of ice water. Remove, drain and set aside.
In a food processor or blender, combine tomato leaves and one generous glug of extra-virgin olive oil.� Pulse until leaves resemble a coarse paste.
Add basil leaves, grated cheese and another glug of oil. Pulse until you have a finely chopped paste.� Taste for seasoning.
Add salt, pepper and more oil if desired. Pulse until just combined.
Store in a airtight container in fridge for up to a week; or freeze and enjoy in the dead of winter.
[...] here. You can also put a few of your leaves into pesto. For Harold McGee’s procedure for this click here. Bookmark [...]
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