It’s cold outside. As in below freezing kind of cold. The kind of cold that drives living creatures indoors. Maybe I should revise that to say most creatures apart from my sheep. These guys must have an internal combustion engine providing a source of heat or some sort of inner furnace because, despite the sub-comfy temps, they still sleep beneath the stars. Like they’re having a camp out.

On my way to feed them dinner, and to coerce them into the barn, I have to pass my vegetable garden. Believe it or not, there are still a few things that have not given up the ghost. Like my kale.

Can’t kill it.

Tough as nails, that stuff is.

I wonder if it will taste like nails.

I break a dozen long, stiff, forest green stalks off from their base and bring them inside. Then I rootle around in the kitchen to see what other odds and ends I have hanging about the pantry and fridge.

Raw pecans.

A couple of garlic cloves.

A chunk of Parmesan.

A hopeful lime.

Olive oil.

And soon I shall have pesto. Winter pesto. It will make us think of bright green Spring.

Or rusty nails.

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Kale-Pecan Pesto

Ingredients

About 12-oz. of kale, stemmed

¼ cup toasted pecans

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup lime juice

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

Cookin’

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Place kale pieces in, cover, and simmer over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until kale is wilted but still bright green, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Cool.

Finely chop pecan pieces and garlic cloves in food processor. Add cooled kale, and pulse until thick paste forms. Add oil and blend until smooth. Add Parmesan and lime juice then blend again. Adjust to your desired consistency by adding a couple splashes of the kale cooking liquid, or a little more oil or lime juice. Season further with salt and pepper.

Happily, it did not taste of nails, rusty or otherwise. It was delicious and used to enhance everything from sautéed chicken to pasta and even a cucumber ribbon salad with grapefruit segments. Fabeedoodah indeed!

I bet the sheep would agree to sleep in the barn if I promised them some of this for a treat. I’ll call it Pasture Pesto.

PS If you’re searching for seeds (from arugula to zucchini and everything in between), I’m recommending a company that not only has a worthy mission creed but a wonderful moral code. Give  The Mauro Seed Company a looksee.

Their motto? Grow One, Give One. I’m impressed. Maybe you will be too.

Now don’t forget to head on over to the main post (here) to see what I’m bletherin’ on about this week. And check out what we’re talkin’ bout down at the pub (here) too!