Battling Spiders and Making Sorrel Pesto in Australia
It was a sunshiny morning in Australia when I decided to go for a walk. All my dear Aussie friends were at work so it was just me and the dogs: Whombat and Fletcher.
I donned my favorite polka-dot rubber boots and off we went to explore the countryside and see what we could see.
Birds were singing madly as I nibbled some grapes I found growing higgledy-piggledy along the fence. I grinned at the profusion of wildflowers everywhere I looked. They clustered around fence posts, dotted the grass, and blossomed in great purple swaths through the fields.
Eventually our walk led me back to “my garden.” If you haven’t already, I’d love you to read the story of how this garden came to be. You can read all about the kindness of my dear Aussie friends here: An Australian Herb Garden.
I’d been letting it run wild the first couple of weeks what with all the rain and flooding, so I had to battle spiders that had taken up residence in my absence. I must’ve been quite the sight flailing my broom around at the spider webs and hollering loudly when I felt something brush my hair or land on my arm. Yipes!!
At last the garden was spider-free and I puttered at my leisure, finding out what was growing (everything) and what needed weeding (everything). So I started with picking big bowls of sorrel leaves, nasturtium blossoms, and mint.
I’d never cooked with sorrel in my life, didn’t even know what it was until I got to Oz. My only association with it was from the old movie “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” when Millie gets her new husband to stop the wagon for her to pick sorrel for their dinner.
So I asked my friends Ann and Janyne for ideas. They had plenty! Salads, sandwiches, and, my favorite idea of all, sorrel pesto.
I hauled out the food processor and washed, dried, chopped and pureed my way to a bowl of sorrel pesto. Mmm, mmm!! Lemony and light with just a hint of earthy greenness, it works beautifully tossed with pasta or spread on a toasted sandwich with tomato and creamy goat cheese.
Have you ever cooked with sorrel before?
Sorrel Pesto
2 big handfuls fresh sorrel
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup pine nuts
salt and pepper to taste
1/4-1/3 cup good olive oil
Directions:
- Rinse sorrel well then pat dry.
- Remove ribs and chop coarsely.
- In food processor combine sorrel with remaining ingredients and puree until it reaches desired consistency. (I like mine coarse rather than smooth like paste)
- Keeps for 2 weeks in fridge.
