wilted chard with walnut pesto and a balsamic reduction

There’s no arguing that a traditional pesto, one made of basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese, is a timeless classic. However, we think the walnut pesto in this recipe gives the old-school classic a serious run for its money. Just be sure when making it that you add the olive and flaxseed oils slowly, so that you end up with the right consistency. And be warned—you might want to buy enough ingredients to make two pesto batches, because it will be hard to resist eating the pesto by itself!

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (packed) flat-leaf parsley

¾ cup chopped, toasted walnuts

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons flaxseed meal

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons flaxseed oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil

3 bunches rainbow chard, ribs removed, and julienned

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, copyright MSLO, Inc., all rights reserved.

STEPS

Place the parsley, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, flaxseed meal, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor or blender and process until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and flaxseed oil in a thin stream through the feed tube and process until the mixture forms a paste.

Remove the top and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon juice and zest, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce the balsamic vinegar by half, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

In a large sauté pan, heat the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat, and when hot, add the chard and 3 tablespoons of the walnut pesto. Toss the chard with the pesto to coat and warm through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the chard to a serving platter and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.

Serve immediately.