These days, I spend a significant amount of my free time playing Animal Crossing and researching local shops that sell produce from regional and local farms. I’ve tried ordering paniers, or baskets, of fresh produce, but I’ve discovered that while ordering is convenient, I miss the human interaction and knowledge I gain from going to the market and seeing what is on the shelves each week. Fortunately, in my arrondissement in Paris, I have several beautifully stocked shops to visit.

I recently acquired this season’s last ail des ours or bear’s garlic. Bear’s garlic is a type of perennial wild onion—most similar to ramps—that grows in the woodlands of Europe and Asia. The leaves and flowers have a beautiful mild garlic flavor and I was so excited to have them as a consolation for missing ramp season back in New York. One thing I learned about the bear garlic and ramps (or any of these wild alliums) is that you want to leave the roots in the soil and harvest them by cutting above the roots because it takes up to seven years for the plant to reach maturity. If you notice that the ramps that you are getting have roots, I encourage you to talk to your vendor/producer to practice sustainable harvesting so that folks can continue enjoying these beauties.

But I digress, back to the pesto! I made two pestos using this very modify-able recipe with some of my bear garlic and also some GORGEOUS turnip tops. I love making pesto using any variety of greens: seasonal alliums, herbs, and vegetable tops (radishes, turnips, beets, carrots, you get the idea…). Making pesto is an easy, creative, and flavorful way to minimize your food waste and jazz pantry staples. Use your fabulous Eco-friendly pesto as a dip for crudites, a sauce for al dente pasta, a sauce to smear on sourdough, or to top your eggs with. Note, this is not in any way an authentic Italian pesto, but how I like to preserve beautiful produce.

Recipe Type: Quick and Easy

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups greens (ramps, bear’s garlic, vegetable tops) chopped into 2-inch pieces

2 oz Parmesan or Pecorino (2 oz is about the size of 2 golf balls)

1 teaspoon of honey

garlic cloves (omit if using garlicky greens such as ramps/bear’s garlic)

¼ cup roasted nuts (I like pine nuts, walnuts, and pistachios).

Juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

Around ½ a cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a food processor, pulse the garlic, Parmesan cheese, and roasted nuts until coarsely chopped.
Add the greens a couple of handfuls at a time and pulse until coarsely chopped. If you have a teeny food processor, you can do this in batches.
Add honey, lemon juice, and zest and pulse a few more times to incorporate.
Pour in the oil slowly while the food processor is running until you reach your desired consistency. You may need to add more or less depending on your preference. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Store the pesto in a jar and add a layer of oil on the top to prevent oxidation. The pesto should keep about a week in the fridge. You can also freeze your pesto and it will keep for 3 months frozen.