Cilantro Pesto

I love cilantro and I had a boatload of cilantro that my mother had brought to me in May.  This cilantro was special because it came all the way from California and from her own garden.  She may not realize it, but her cilantro is so very tasty.  Not wanting to waste all of the cilantro and wanting to make something meaningful with it, I took to the internet.  

I came upon this recipe and tweaked it a little bit.  I used only the juice of one (1) lime, instead of two because I found that one lime was plenty enough acid for 1 1/2 cups of cilantro.  I also omitted the jalapenos because I didn't have any good looking ones on hand (plus, I was making accommodations for people that didn't like to eat hot and spicy pesto).  The blogger at Fresh Bites Daily froze her pesto in baggies while I froze mine in little jars.  I actually opened one up today, and it smelled and tasted just as fresh (SO YUMMY).  I love using this cilantro pesto as a sauce on pasta, as a spread on sandwiches, eating it with just cheese, etc. (Really you can do anything with this pesto!)

Cilantro Pesto

1 1/2 Cups of chopped cilantro (both leaves and stems)
4 cloves of garlic
1 lime, juiced
1/2 Cup of olive oil

1. In a food processor (or blender), put in the garlic cloves.  Pulse the cloves for about 15 seconds or until the cloves are in small pieces.

2. Add the cilantro and lime juice.  Pulse for about 15 seconds or until cilantro is broken down.

3. Add the olive oil and pulse until the mixture comes together (maybe another 15-30 seconds).  The pesto should be smooth, but not turned into a liquid.

4. Store in small bags or containers and freeze.

When using, salt could be added to the pesto after it's been thawed.  Just remember to add a little and taste before adding more.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think of this recipe if you try it.