Collard Green Olive Pesto

This recipe makes a large quantity of pesto. Use half the pesto for 1 pound of cooked pasta and chill the rest in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

1 3/4 lb collard greens
7 large brine-cured green olives (2 1/4 oz), pitted
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup water
1+ Tbl balsamic vinegar to taste
1/2 teaspoon celtic salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)

Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cut stems and center ribs from collard greens and discard. Stir collards into water in batches, then simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer collards with tongs to a colander to drain, gently pressing on greens to extract excess water. (If making pasta, reserve water in pot for cooking pasta.) Coarsely chop collards.

Blend olives and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add collards, water, vinegar, salt, cayenne, and pepper and pulse until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil in a slow stream. Turn off motor, then add cheese and pulse to combine.

Makes about 2 1/4 cups.