Swiss Chard Stalk Pesto

This recipe is great way to not waste the stalks of the chard!

Yield: about a pint of pesto

Ingredients
6 ounces Swiss chard stalks (from about 1 pound of Swiss chard)
1 cup pepitas
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
3 to 4 medium garlic cloves
3/4 cup packed parsley leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
Zest of 1/2 lemon, grated
 
Preparation
Cut off the very end of the stalks, as the ends tend to be dry. If your Swiss chard is fairly young and tender, the stalks will be tender too. The stalks of mature chard can be a bit stringy, and you may want to blanch them for a minute. The best way to determine is to snap a piece of stalk from the very end (the toughest part) and take a bite. If it has the consistency of raw celery, you are good to go. If it is tougher and stringier, you may want to blanch the stalks (but only for a minute).

To blanch the stalks, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the stalks and blanch for 1 minute. Remove the stalks from the pot and put them in a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process. Cool the stalks completely before proceeding with the recipe.
​
In a food processor, process the pepitas with the fennel seed and garlic. Add the stalks and parsley and continue to process. Add the olive oil, cumin, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and process until smooth. (If the pesto is too thick, add a drop of water.) Store the pesto in the fridge and use it with pasta, sandwiches, or as a dip.