Ming says: I'm a big fan of pesto, but that big dose of garlic can stay with me longer than I'd like. So, I mellow the garlic by roasting it first and that, along with some Asian flavors, make up my Roasted Garlic Asian Pesto.
Makes about 4 cups
- 3 heads roasted garlic
- 1 1/2 cups roasted peanuts
- 5 serrano chiles, stemmed
- 1 cup peanut oil
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, packed
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, packed
- 1 cup fresh shiso leaves, packed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Method for roasting garlic: Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice top off full head of garlic and place in small baking dish. Drizzle lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil and roast until garlic is golden brown and fragrant, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool, then squeeze softened garlic cloves into a small bowl.
- In a food processor, combine peanuts, chiles, garlic, oil and salt and process to a smooth purée. Add herbs and purée again. Do not over-mix. (Excessive mixing can heat the mixture, "cooking" the basil, turning it dark.) Check for flavor, season if necessary. If pesto is too thick, you can thin with water and re-season.
>>Use this Master Recipe in
Roasted Garlic Asian Pesto Ravioli by guest Chef Dominique Macquet.
>>This recipe appears in
Episode #409.
>> For additional recipes and more, visit
www.ming.com
