MULTI-USE PESTO NUMBER TWO

I LOVE my freezer, but it gets dangerous when it's full. Dash and Bella now know to stand back when they reach up to open the door so as not to get bopped on the head by a pint of ice cream.

I managed to clear out a little corner of the freezer by removing lima beans, farmers' market corn from last August (cut off the cob), parmesan rinds, pecorino, and pine nuts. I'm all about eating seasonally but this week I really needed a taste of summer. January has kicked my butt. We've all been sick. It has been raining FOREVER. Lima Bean and Corn Pesto helped bring some brightness into the house. And green just happens to be Dash's favorite color. Yes, I realize how lucky I am to have a 2-year old who loves green.

We ate this pesto three different ways: on crackers, on lamb chops, and mixed into rice with caramelized onions. You can freeze it in an ice cube tray overnight and the next day pop the pesto cubes into a ziploc bag for the rest of the winter.

P.S. One more idea: replace the Feta Pesto with Lima Bean Pesto in my Root Vegetable Tart.

LIMA BEAN AND CORN PESTO: printable recipe
This tastes great lukewarm (just made), room temperature, or cold. Try it on meat, mixed with rice or pasta, as a spread on crackers, or as a base for a sandwich. Use fresh vegetables when available. This would also work well with white beans instead of lima beans (not as pretty a color though).
(Makes about 2 cups)

1/3 cup pine nuts

6 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced

3 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced or pressed

1 cup frozen lima beans

1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup parsley leaves

juice & zest from 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/3 cup grated pecorino

anchovy (anywhere from none to 2 fillets)

pepper to taste

pinch of salt

Toast pine nuts in a pan or the oven until lightly browned. Set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, add shallot, and cook on medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and stir for about a minute. Don't let it brown. Turn heat down to low. Add lima beans and corn.  Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat. Place a lid on the lima bean mixture for 10 minutes. In the bowl of your food processor or blender add toasted pine nuts, parsley, remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice/zest, both cheeses, optional anchovy, and pepper. Leave out salt until the end since the cheeses and anchovy are very salty. Pulse for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides. Add lima bean/corn mixture. Pulse for another 10 seconds. It's up to you how much you purée the vegetables. You can leave them chunky or make them quite creamy. Taste. Add salt if necessary. Serve or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Or freeze overnight in a ice cube tray, the next day place cubes in a ziploc bag, and freeze up to 6 months.