Sunday, March 28, 2010

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto with Golden Raisins


I would love to take credit for this idea but it isn’t mine. This is my adaptation of a recipe that our chef friend Ian makes. Only his version uses olive oil and wine. I made some changes to make this healthier but kept the big bold flavor. His version is lighter in color so I think he uses more golden raisins proportionally. But the flavor of this is really good so I don’t know how much I am going to change the ratio of tomato to raisin. Here is what I did.


Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto with Golden Raisins
makes 15 servings - they are intentionally small due to the intense flavor

Ingredients:

¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated in warm water and drained
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/2 tablespoon Chianti wine vinegar (Sherry vinegar or balsamic would also work here)
½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Toss everything in your food processor and pulse to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate in a sealed container until needed.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 12.52
Calories From Fat (3%) - 0.38

Total Fat - 0.05g
Saturated Fat - 0.01g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 19.33mg
Potassium - 56.26mg
Total Carbohydrates - 3.14g
Fiber - 0.25g
Sugar - 2.25g
Protein - 0.25g

Comments:

This is one of the few recipes that have gotten an immediate two thumbs up from the husband. He loves this stuff. This pesto has a huge flavor. If you like big bold flavored food you will love this. But I warn you it is a flavor rush. It also has a sweet and sour aspect to it. It is alternately sweet from the raisins and tomatoes but with a hint of acid from the vinegar.

Unrelated Note:

This is going to be my last post tonight. I need to wind down and relax. Tomorrow will be another extremely hectic day at my house. I may not be able to post anything until much later in the day. I will be back as soon as I can.

8 comments:

  1. What an interesting and elegant combination. I have to try this soon!

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  2. Rose,

    I am so happy to hear you like the sound of this. Since we seem to have very similar food tastes I think you will enjoy it as much as we do. Please let me know what you think when you try it.

    talk to you later,
    Alicia

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  3. WOW!!! This is excellent! I just commented on the last post and here is this one. I just ate, but I would eat this right now!

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  4. Brandi,

    I am so glad you like the sound of this too. It is really good. But that is because of Ian. He is great with food. I hope you try it.

    talk to you later,
    Alicia

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  5. Oh I love the idea of this! What a fantastic spread that would make for party appetizers too. I'll be thinking about you today (Monday).

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  6. Heather,

    I think you will like this and it is really quick. I hope you try it.

    Thanks for the thoughts, I will keep you posted. :-)

    Alicia

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  7. I can't wait to make this! I'm planning a vegan Easter Feast at my house (wine included!! ) and will surely use a few of your creations. Hope you got good rest before your hectic day!

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  8. Megan,

    Ummm vino. Have you picked the wine yet? Sorry, I got distracted. LOL!

    This pesto will hold for at least a week in frig. I would suggest you make it sooner so the flavors can blend.

    I did manage to actually sleep last night, so that was very good. A hectic day is much easier when I have slept well. Duh, right?

    Alicia

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