(Ed. note: This post set off a brouhaha about pesto, what it is, and what it is not. I'm not about to reproduce it here, but will only point to Iain Noble's Pesto As It Should Be on these pages.)


Considering how many vegs are on the list, I will forego one of my chicken-based recipies and submit this ez recipe, ideal for tv parties.

I've only ever done this by making it up as I go, so hope this works:

Black bean pesto

Black beans
Lime
Garlic clove or two
Olive oil
Ground Chipotle powder (or any kind of ground red)
Red pepper
Onion
Tomato

Saute chopped garlic in olive oil; I like it when it gets brown and nutty like.

Chop fine onion tomato and red pepper.

Open black beans.

(If you "make" your own black beans, I salute you, but I use Progresso. Yeh, canned. Shut up.) Be sure you drain the can before using. You don't want runny pesto.

Put all the above ingredients in a food proccessor with the chipotle powder (How much is always up to you), and a few generous squeezings from the lime. Be sure to include all the olive oil/garlic "mixture."

Whip it all up into a frenzy. Won't take but less than a half minute. Should be nice, thick and dip-like.

Chill, serve with blue corn chips, or lime-flavored.

We also toast up pita bread, cut em up into wedges.

You can also make this with red beans, and for one party I made it without beans at all; it was mostly red pepper and tomato, and was quite good. I don't quite remember that one tho, cos I really did just make it up there and then.

Matt Benz