This green pesto owes its intense and powerful flavor to the use of kombu. It’s such an easy recipe that you can experiment with the ingredients as much as you like. The arugula and basil, for instance, can be substituted with any leafy green of your choice. And the pine nuts can be replaced by any other type of nut, such as cashews or hazelnuts. You can even use sunflower seeds! Serve the pesto on crackers, on a grilled vegetable sandwich, or with a bowl of pasta.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 1 (8-ounce) jar

　　1.4 ounces (40 g) fresh kombu (or a mix of kombu and wakame)

　　⅓ cup (50 g) roasted pine nuts

　　1 small garlic clove, minced

　　1 cup (25 g) fresh basil (including stems)

　　1 cup (25 g) arugula

　　2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for storing

　　1½ teaspoons lemon juice

　　

Step 1

Thoroughly rinse the kombu with water, making sure all pickling salt has been washed off. Dab dry and cut into pieces.

　　

Step 2

Puree the kombu, nuts, garlic, basil, arugula, olive oil, and lemon juice in a food processor until the mixture forms a smooth paste.

　　

Step 3

Put the pesto in a glass jar, cover with a layer of olive oil, and store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Always serve with a clean spoon to maintain freshness.

　　Recipe from Ocean Greens: Explore the World of Edible Seaweed and Sea Vegetables by Lisette Kreischer and Marcel Schuttelaar. © Kosmos Uitgevers Utrecht/Antwerpen 2015, 2016. Translation © Maria M. Reimer and Victor Verbeck, 2016. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment.Buy the full book from Amazon.