Lamb's quarter was the secret ingredient in our pesto. (David Boraks/ DavidsonNews.net)

By EMMA BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

My sister and I are going to Know Your Farms summer camp in Davidson. We’re learning about eating locally.

Monday, we made pesto. Pesto usually includes garlic, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, olive oil and salt and pepper. Our recipe also called for spinach.

We used Lamb’s Quarters from the Davidson garden of Know Your Farms co-founder Christy Shi. She told us at the camp that many people think of Lamb’s Quarters as a weed, and spend time pulling them out of the ground. But actually they’re edible. It works well as a substitute for spinach.

Pesto typically includes basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. A food processor blends it together nicely. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Lamb’s Quarters is sometimes called pigweed, fat hen or goosefoot, from the shape of its leaves. It grows like a weed because it is native to North Carolina so it has adapted to the climate.

I picked some to bring home. We also used basil from our own garden.

The pesto recipe we used originally called for spinach, but we could use Lamb’s Quarters instead of having to buy spinach from the supermarket, which would have to be brought from places that spinach does grow.

We served the pesto over grilled chicken, which my dad prepared. I would also suggest some farmer’s market or homemade bread.

Pesto goes nicely over grilled chicken.

BASIL PESTO WITH LAMB’S QUARTER

1 1/2 cups Lamb’s Quarters leaves (we substituted for spinach, which you also can use)
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 cup olive oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor and chop until smooth. Store in an airtight container. To freeze, you can pour it into ice cube trays. (Tip: If you plan to freeze, omit the cheese.)

Emma Boraks is a rising eighth grader at Davidson IB Middle School.

RELATED LINKS

Know Your Farms LLC, a Davidson-based local food company.

June 16, 2010, DavidsonNews.net, “Connecting kids and local food at summer camp.”