Olive-Mint Pesto

• Recipe by Grace Parisi

Grace likes using a mix of brine- and oil-cured olives for a more complex pesto; her favorites are green Sicilian, Calamata, Cerignola and oil-cured Moroccan.

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons tightly packed mint leaves
2. 2 tablespoons small capers, drained
3. 1 large garlic clove, smashed
4. 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
5. Pinch of crushed red pepper
6. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
7. 1 cup pitted mixed olives, such as Calamata and Cerignola
8. Freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse the mint with the capers, garlic, lemon zest and crushed red pepper. With the machine on, add the olive oil in a thin stream. Add the olives and pulse until coarsely chopped. Season the pesto with pepper.

Notes

Master Sauce recipes adapted from Get Saucy, by Grace Parisi, copyright ©2005, with permission from Harvard Common Press, 535 Albany St., Boston, MA 02118.