Recipe: Miso Pesto

Miso Pesto

Makes about 3/4 cup

Miso creates a remarkably fine base for pesto, lending both saltiness and the kind of complex, aged flavor traditionally provided by parmigiano-reggiano cheese. The miso also does a good job of preserving the basil's color and flavor: Under refrigeration, this pesto lasts beautifully for at least five days. Whenever I make pesto, I like to add a teaspoon of fennel seeds to accentuate the aniselike flavor of basil. What is it about pesto that brings such elegance to everything it graces? Try a dollop in minestrone or on broiled tomatoes. Or see for yourself how it turns an otherwise ordinary dish of Fettuccine and Broccoli into something quite special.

2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups very tightly packed basil leaves,
rinsed and spun dry
1/2 cup walnut, toasted and cooled
2 tablespoons barley miso
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 cup olive oil

With the motor of the food processor running, pop the garlic cloves through feed tube. Process until finely chopped. Remove the cover, scrape down the sides of the work bowl, and add the basil, walnuts, miso, and fennel seeds. Pulse to create a coarse paste. With the motor running, gradually pour the olive oil through the feed tube and continue processing to create a smooth paste. Stop once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Set the pesto aside at room temperature if using within the hour. Otherwise refrigerate for up to 5 days and bring to room temperature shortly before needed. Stir well before each use.

The New Soy Cookbook
Tempting Recipes for
Tofu, Tempeh, Soybeans, and Soymilk
By Lorna Sass
Photography by Jonelle Weaver
Chronicle Books
Paperback, $17.95
120 pages, full color photographs throughout
ISBN: 0-8118-1682-6
Recipe Reprinted by permission.