Coriander Pesto

I love pesto, it's a great store cupboard ingredient. Mixed with some creme fraiche or cream and added to pasta with a sprinkling of parmesan, you have a great quick pasta meal. I don't make fresh pesto that often, but there is a lovely Jamie Oliver recipe with roast chicken, roast potatoes cooked around the chicken and fresh basil pesto. The fresh pesto adds such a special flavour, it really is worth the extra effort. It's not even difficult to make. Today I had some coriander in the fridge, so I have made some pesto with it, which I'll use in a recipe tonight. This doesn't make a huge amount, but it's enough for four of us this evening. This recipe can also be used with fresh basil. I would normally buy a large basil plant and use all the leaves, as by the time you have blitzed the leaves there's only a small amount.


 
Ingredients
Serves 4
31g bag of coriander or the leaves from a coriander plant (you don't have to be that precise in the amount you use)
a handful of toasted pine nuts
half a clove of garlic
salt and pepper 
a good handful of grated parmesan
a good glug of olive oil


Method
I used the small bowl for my food processor, I have used a hand held blender in the past. If you don't have either of these you could use a pestle and mortar to crush the garlic and herbs.
Add the toasted pine nuts, coriander leaves, salt, pepper and garlic and blitz until smooth.
Stir in the finely grated parmesan and then the olive oil to the consistency you desire. I don't want it too runny. Season to taste. Keep in a jar until ready to use, it should keep for a few days in the fridge.