About

Cost: $ $ $ $ $

Difficulty: • • • • •

Time: 30 mins

Gifts From The Garden
This is a sprightly, easy pesto to make when you’re cutting back the first flush of growth from your chives before they flower. It’s delicious on pasta or gnocchi, of course, but it’s also very good as a dressing for just-boiled new potatoes.

Makes approx. 1 x 190g jar.

Gifts from the Garden by Debora Robertson (Kyle Books, £16.99) Photography: Yuki Sugiura

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Step 1
Warm a dry frying pan over a medium heat and gently toast the pine nuts until just golden and fragrant, rattling the pan frequently to ensure they do not burn. Cool and bash roughly in a pestle and mortar, or pulse a couple of times in a food processor. Combine with the chives, cheese, lemon zest, garlic and just enough oil to get the texture you like. Taste and season if necessary with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Spoon the pesto into the cold, sterilised jar, pressing down with the back of a spoon to get rid of any air pockets. Ensure that the pesto is completely covered by a thin layer of oil before sealing.
Step 3
Refrigerated, the pesto will keep for 2–3 days.

packaging idea To make a more substantial gift, combine this tangy pesto with a bag or two of beautiful fresh pasta and/or a pestle and mortar.