Goatcheese rocket pesto
I’m having a day of today and ofcourse – as that always seems to happen this summer – it is raining cats and dogs all day. I don’t really mind as I am spending my time baking my first ever bagels.. Bagels that will definitely taste fabulous with this spicy pesto! I wanted to try different flavors in my pesto and I love making it with rocket. The taste is more bitter then what you’re used to when making it with basil but I love it. Because of the strong goatcheese I used to pair this with you really want to eat it with something juicy and fresh such as lovely tomatoes. You’ll need that to counterbalance the strong taste a little bit. Ofcourse you could also just add a bit less of the cheese but I like it strong.
When I was visiting Mona in Ireland last week we went into pretty Galway and Mona showed me a delicatessen store which stocked some pretty good Irish produce. I tried to get a few local cheeses and had Mona point me to some good ones. One of which is in this pesto and the other (a softer goatcheese) has slowly been devoured on toast as it is just too good to put in something. This particular cheese which is in the pesto is called Corleggy Creeny Sheep Cheese. It is made from raw sheep’s milk and is (or so the website tells me) is the only raw milk cheese which is produced at the moment. The cheese itself is between 2 to 6 months old and is hard, very much like a good pecorino. Since it was the same consistency I figured it would work well once grated so I cut of a chunk of the cheese and grated it through the pesto.
And I was right. Delicious, chunky and strong flavored pesto. Depending on which cheese you use the taste will be milder or possibly even stronger. Let your imagination run wild! Ofcourse you can also pair this with basil instead of rocket, making it a little sweeter. I am anxiously waiting for my bagels to be baked (in the oven as we speak) so I can spread some of this green deliciousness on them!
Goatcheese rocket pesto
Ingredients:
- 50 gr rocket (arugula)
- 25 gr pinenuts or to taste
- 75 gr hard strong goatcheese (I used Corleggy Creeny Sheep cheese)
- juice of 1 lemon
- oliveoil
- seasalt
- pepper
Directions:
Put rocket, pinenuts, and cheese together in a foodprocessor en pulse until you have a coarse puree. While the machine is turning add oliveoil in a slow stream until the pesto has the consistency you like. Bring to taste with lemonjuice, seasalt and pepper.
Recipe by Simone van den berg
Appetizer
Asian
Bread
Breakfast
Desserts & other sweets
Healthy
Delicious! this combo is simply awesome.
Cheers,
Rosa
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Simone (junglefrog) — August 8th, 2012 at 16:43
Thanks Rosa. Yes it’s pretty good!
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Rocket pesto I already love since I have first try it. But now the combination with goatcheese just makes me drool!
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Simone (junglefrog) — August 8th, 2012 at 16:44
O you’re gonna love this one Eva. It’s strong (obviously depending on which goatcheese you would use) but lovely!
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I am a fan of strong cheeses – I would love your pesto, I guess. And Simone, your pictures are stunning – the intense red and green – gorgeous – can’t get enough.
hugs from Sandy
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Simone (junglefrog) — August 8th, 2012 at 16:59
Thanks so much Sandy. And yes I love strong cheese too, unfortunately my husband loathes all cheese! Weird guy..
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The color and light in these photos is so gorgeous, Simone.
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Simone (junglefrog) — August 9th, 2012 at 07:24
Thanks so much Sue!
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Loving the slight bitterness of rocket as I do, this is a wonderful pesto recipe for me [I am basically still the oldfashioned basil gal, mostly for lack of knowledge and imagination]. Have to pick another cheese methinks, but get the general idea and am looking forward to making and tasting
!
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Simone (junglefrog) — August 9th, 2012 at 07:25
Nothing wrong with basil ofcourse but there are so many other flavors you can try!
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I love rocket and I love goat cheese (basque sheep cheese is good too). I really should try this. The beautiful pictures told me I had to make it
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Simone (junglefrog) — August 9th, 2012 at 07:26
I have never tried Basque sheep cheese. Gotta keep an eye out for that too!
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what a simple and wonderful combination! your pictures are stunning as usual, simone!
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Beautiful pictures Simone! I’ve got arugula growing wild now in my garden. I left some in to see what it’d do. Petit yellow sweet flowers and it’s actually not too strong. Perhaps I should harvest some today?!
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Oh…what vibrant looking Pesto..beautiful clicks, Simone! Long time I visited this gorgeous place, have been browsing lot of your wonderful pictures and updates on FB. Hope you are enjoying your new home. Hugs.
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I made pesto with 1/2 arugula (rocket) and 1/2 basil the other day. I agree with you that the arugula adds a nice bite. We made very similiar dishes this week. I made a huge batch of pesto so there will be lots of pesto dishes this week. I am really intrugued with the addition of the goat cheese. Will try it soon. Your bagels looked great too by the way.
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I love alternative pesto’s a lot & a good home-made rocket pesto, I love all the time!
Yours looks exremely tasty & fabulous even!
Yummmm! I can’t wait to try it!
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you know how much I love pesto with any greens for that matter. Even though i don’t like any thing that taste bitter but I tried rocket arugula pesto and I actually like it.
Love the photos Simon .. the board and the selective lighting is gorgeous!
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Stunning colour combination! I have some lovely nutty Italian arugula (rocket) growing right now! LOVE IT! Soon you can make your own Goat’s cheese for this recipe!
V
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The pesto is beautiful! I love making all sorts of pestos in the summer and rocket pesto is one of my favorites!
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That brilliant green hue simply glows! It’s so vibrant, I can only imagine how bright and lively it must taste.
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The color of that pesto is gorgeous, but the texture is incredible! I love that it’s not a runny mess but rather clumps together a bit… I’m featuring this post in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and thanks always for keeping me inspired with new ideas…
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Simone (junglefrog) — August 10th, 2012 at 23:11
No problem and thanks for including it in the Food Fetish Friday..
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i love this recipe. i would never think of adding cheese.
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