Another pesto recipe! Yes. And there will be more since I am growing a variety of fresh herbs. This one is a variation of a shiso pesto I made some time ago. It is made of freshly harvested shiso (perilla) leaves. The green shiso (Aojiso) is fairly easy to grow. I started mine after the last frost and have big, bushy plants by now.
There is no substitute for this unique herb. No worries if you cannot grow your own. Shiso leaves are available at Japanese grocers. You might even be able to order them online.
Green shiso is incredibly fragrant and has a unique fragrance and a very delicate, slightly minty taste. It is rich in vitamins including vitamin C and vitamin K; and minerals such as calcium and iron. Shiso has some antimicrobial properties thanks to natural compounds called phytoncides. In Japan, green shiso leaves have been used for centuries to slow the spoilage of raw fish and seafood.
Ingredients:
for the pesto
- 1 cup green shiso leaves, packed
- 1/4 cup raw pistachio nuts
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/4 cup virgin olive oil, use more or less as needed
- freshly pressed juice of 1 lime
- pinch Celtic sea salt, to balance the flavors
- freshly ground black pepper or Japanese green pepper (Sansho), to taste
for the "pasta"
- 1 medium large zucchini, per person
- freshly pressed juice of 1/2 lime
- pinch Celtic sea salt
for the garnish
- sliced limes
- fresh shiso leaves
- shiso chiffonade
Method:
- Start with zucchini ribbons. Make ribbons using a mandolin or a vegetable peeler.
- In a large bowl gently toss the zucchini ribbons with lime juice and salt. This will allow the zucchini to soften a bit. Set aside while you are making the pesto.
- In a food processor, pulse blend the pesto ingredients into a slightly chunky pesto starting with the dry ingredients first, then adding the liquids, and salt and pepper at the end. You can make it either more or less chunky and compact, if you prefer. Just adjust the amount of olive oil you are using. Adjust the taste to your personal liking. I used just a touch of the Japanese pepper and a tiny bit of the freshly ground black pepper.
- Add half of the pesto to the bowl with zucchini ribbons and mix gently.
- Portion out the zucchini ribbons. Top up each portion with a dollop of pesto. Garnish with paper thin lime slices, fresh shiso leaves, and shiso chiffonade. Enjoy in good company!
Tip: To make the shiso chiffonade stack four of five shiso leaves together, roll them tightly. Using a very sharp knife cut the roll into very thin slices. Use mandolin or a very sharp knife to make paper thin lime slices. They make a very nice garnish for all kinds of dishes and desserts.
In radiant health, passionately raw - Dominique
Dominique Allmon© 2023