Gjesteinnlegg av forfatter og illustratør Viviane Schwarz

Got leaves? Got Pasta sauce.

Got any edible green leaves? Foraged off a linden hedge, or left wilting in the fridge - any greens will do…

Make them into a green sauce to go with pasta! Or with anything else that you might use pesto for.

I used to do this with spinach and hazelnuts when I was a student, and recently I saw this recipe for salad-bag pesto by the excellent Jack Monroe which reminded me and inspired me to start making green sauce again.

Wash your leaves and add a good lot of lemon juice, and some salt.

Add some garlic, and herbs if you like.

Add nuts if you have/like. Blend it all up.

Add oil (olive or whatever you find tasty)

Mix it all together.

You can keep it in a jar in the fridge for a couple of days.

IMPORTANT: Remember to always make sure to add acid and salt BEFORE adding oil if you want to keep dressed raw vegetables in the fridge, because if the oil coats the veg, the acid and salt can’t prevent bacteria from growing and you risk botulism.