Kale and Walnut Pesto

Kale is one of those foods that you either love or just haven't cooked properly yet. How can I make such an assumption? Three months ago I would have told you that I hated Kale and was more than ready for this "fad" to be over. 

Boy was I wrong. 

Pesto, typically, is made with pine nuts and basil. So if you're still not a Kale convert, use the same amounts of those ingredients to make the traditional, boring old pesto ;). 

What you'll need: 

- 1 medium bunch of Kale (think about two handfuls). Stems and center ribs removed. Also, I blanched mine to cut down on the bitterness. 

- 3 cloves of garlic.

- 1/4 to 1/3 cup of Parmesan (the good stuff).

- 1/4 cup of toasted walnuts.

- 1/2 cup of olive oil.

- 1 tbs of lemon juice.

- Salt and Pepper to taste. 

What to do: 

- Blanche Kale in boiling water for about 1 min. Drop into ice water to stop the cooking process and retain the integrity of the greens. 

- Dry very well in a kitchen or paper towel. 

- Combine ingredients in food processor, starting with Kale, Garlic, Walnuts, and Parmesan. 

- Pulse until coarsely chopped. 

- Add lemon juice.

- Turn food processor on and pour olive oil until smooth and pureed. 

- For use over pasta, save about a 1/3 cup of pasta water into the Pesto and mix. 

- Mix with your favorite pasta or spread on a piece of crusty bread and enjoy!