Dried tomato-basil pesto with hint of cocoa

6 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
½ cup Sun-dried tomatoes; blanched and chopped
¼ cup Walnut pieces; toasted
⅓ cup Firmly packed fresh basil
2 Cloves garlic; minced
½ cup Chopped fresh tomatoes; seeded and drained
¼ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon Cocoa powder
¼ cup Grated romano cheese
2 tablespoons Olive oil
1 tablespoon Canola oil
1 tablespoon Cold water
2 teaspoons Red wine vinegar

Directions

Dried tomatoes should be blanched before using. Place in boiling water for 2 minutes and soak till plumped and pliable. Coarsely chop by hand as finely as you can. Toasting the walnuts in a dry pan for about 3 minutes adds a lot of flavor. Cool walnuts before proceeding. Use the pulp of the tomatoes (no skins, seeds or juice).

Position knife blade in food processor bowl, and add dried tomatoes, walnuts, basil and garlic cloves. Process until finely chopped. Add chopped tomato pulp, pinch of salt, thyme, pepper, and cocoa and romano. Combine oils, water, vinegar; with processor running, slowly add olive oil mixture through food chute. Process mixture until well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings, this has a slight vinaigrette flavor. Settles to about 1 cup yield. Chill.

Add a little to salad dressings; toss with pasta. Sauce can be warmed over moderately low heat if necessary.

1996 Copy Cat, Trader Joe's Organic -- This sauce reminds me of Trader Joe's Organic. No claim to replication: we've emphasized what we like about Joe's sauce.

Recipe by: Hanneman 1996 Kitchen Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #1069 by KitPATh <phannema@...> on Jan 31, 1998

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