Fat hen and chickweed pesto makes the most of your garden weeds. It’s really tasty and you can use it on pasta, spread on bread or crackers or diluted with a little olive oil as a salad dressing.
Another year goes by and another year we are not as organised as we’d like to be down on the plot. We don’t have much in the way of veg to eat at the moment, but we do have a lot of weeds. Luckily for us, many of those weeds are not only edible, but quite delicious when eaten young. Fat hen and chickweed are two of these. Time to make fat hen and chickweed pesto.
Eat Your Weeds
Fat Hen is one of those soft and non-bitter greens which can be substituted for spinach whilst chickweed makes a tasty salad leaf. We forage both of these weeds down on our plot, where they grow in great perfusion. They are entirely edible, but at their best when young.
Fat Hen and Chickweed Pesto
Instead of garlic, I used garlic scapes instead as that’s what we have growing at this time of year. Apart from the greens, I used the classic ingredients of pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. As I’m vegetarian I generally try to buy vegetarian cheeses. But cheese is an area where I don’t toe a strict line. Cutting out Parmesan from my diet, as well as our delightfully flavoursome Cornish cheeses, would be a very hard thing indeed.
Having said that, there are now really good Parmesan-like cheeses which are vegetarian. So I now tend to use those instead. And you can always substitute with a different type of vegetarian hard cheese if you like.
To make the fat hen and chickweed pesto, I used my Optimum 9200 Next Generation blender, which blitzed the leaves, nuts and chunks of cheese down to a paste in seconds. As regular readers will know, I’m making good use of this powerful tool and use it nearly every day.
This was an easy job for it. But I blend all sorts of tough vegetables and other matter in my morning smoothies, that I couldn’t even contemplate in my old blender. If you are after a good blender, I would highly recommend this one, which is currently the most powerful on the market. At the moment, there is an Β£80 discount, so now is a good time to buy. Just click on the link above, or the one in my sidebar.
The pesto was so very good, it was hard not to spoon it straight from the jar into my mouth, but I managed to resist – for the most part. We’ve been eating it mainly on pasta, because that really is the best thing you can do with it. It makes for a very quick meal, which is just what’s needed on busy days. Spread on seaweed crackers, it also makes a very tasty lunch.
For a more frugal pesto, you could replace the pine nuts with hazelnuts and the Parmesan cheese for Cheddar cheese.
Other Pesto Recipes You Might Like
- BagnΓ¨t verd – poor man’s pesto (vegan)
- Carrot top pistou (vegan)
- Walnut basil pesto
- Watercress pesto
- Wild garlic pesto (two ways)
For more dip and spread ideas, you’ll find plenty in my delicious dips and spreads Pinterest board.
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this fat hen and chickweed pesto, Iβd love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
For more delicious and nutritious recipes follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. And donβt forget to SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Or why not join the conversation in our Healthy Vegetarian Whole Food Recipes Facebook Group?
If youβd like more recipes using foraged ingredients, follow the link and youβll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious, of course.
Choclette x
Garden Pesto. PIN IT.
Fat Hen and Chickweed Pesto – The Recipe
Fat Hen & Chickweed Pesto
Ingredients
- 100 g fat hen and chickweed
- 75 g pine nuts
- 1-2 cloves garlic (I've used a small bunch of garlic scapes instead)
- 75 g vegetarian Parmesan type cheese cut into chunks
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and pulse until the mixture is blended to a not quite smooth paste.
- Scrape into two sterilised jars, seal and keep in the fridge until needed.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I am linking garden weed pesto to Pasta Please which is hosted, this month, by Lucy over at Baking Queen 74. This monthly challenge originates with Jac from Tinned Tomatoes.
Containing plenty of wild greens as this pesto does, I am sending it off to Shaheen over at A2K – A Seasonal Veg Table for Eat Your Greens.
I’m also sending this off to Ren Behan for Simple and in Season – which this recipe most definitely is.
There’s a lot of leaves in this fat hen and chickweed pesto, but I doubt any fussy eaters would notice. So I’m sending it off to Fuss Free Flavours and Utterly Scrummy Food for Families for Extra Veg.
Niki says
Definitely trying this. I’ve been eating stinging nettle risotto for years but never thought to try fat hen or chick weed and have to admit I’m shocked to learn that they’re actually 2 different plants. I don’t know why lve always assumed they were the same.
Wanted to pass on the tricks a Genoese lady taught me about cooking with pesto. When you put your spaghetti in to cook, add in a potato (or2) cut into cubes about the same size as the last joint of your thumb and a couple of handfuls of fresh or frozen green beans. They should all finish cooking at the same time. When almost ready to serve, scoop some of the foam off the top of the pasta water and use it to thin down the pesto to about the consistency of double cream. It’s unbelievably good and thinning down the pesto really makes a difference. Pesto with potatoes is so good that l often use it to dress them.
Choclette says
Thank you for that excellent tip. I shall try it next time I make pesto. I usually add broccoli to the pasta about half way through its cooking time, which works well too. Young chickweed and even fat hen, when you get it young, both make excellent salad greens as well as pesto. Love stinging nettles too, they are one of my favourite spring greens.
Ren Behan says
Thanks for entering your recipe into Simple and in Season. It’s featured on my Pinterest board and the round up is now live. Hope you ate enjoying the cookbook x
Choclette says
Thanks Ren and what a lovely surprise the book was. I’m really enjoying it, lots of inspiration there.
shaheen says
Lovely, I really like Fat Hen, my mother makes an awesome dal with it. I will have to drop a hint and see if you will make it again. Thank you for sharing with #EatYourGreens.
Choclette says
Ooh, that dal sounds delicious Shaheen. We use Fat Hen as a general “spinach” substitute, but I’m not sure it’s gone into a dal before.
Nadia says
That’s very clever! I would never have thought of eating weeds, even though I don’t have a garden π But if they’re edible and taste good, why not? The pesto looks so delicious Choclette π
Choclette says
Thanks Nadia. I just love the vibrancy of colour the weeds have given and it tastes very good too.
Kate - gluten free alchemist says
I am always so impressed with your use of weeds and things growing in the garden! Using weeds scare me to death….. I wouldn’t know which are which!!
Loving this unusual pesto recipe x
Choclette says
Well I am lucky there Kate. CT is a botanist, so I’ve always got someone to check with if I’m unsure.
Sarah says
This is why I love food blogs so much – learn something new everyday, I have not heard of these before. I love the name fat hen and if tastes similar to spinach…I’ll be looking in my backgarden for some!! Hehe! Very good recipe. π
Choclette says
Thanks Sarah, it’s true. I’ve learnt masses since I’ve been reading blogs. As the name implies, fat hen was traditionally fed to the chickens along with chickweed – well if it’s good enough for the chickens …!
Galina V says
I confess I haven’t heard of fat hen, and probably won’t recognise it. I do use nettles and dandelion leaves in cooking, but need to expand my range. Very inspiring recipe!
Choclette says
Thanks Galina, I’m not as adventurous as I should be, but these two are really tasty, especially when not much else is growing π
Kellie@foodtoglow says
I tend to stick to the ‘baby end’ of foraging but this really sounds a great idea, Choclette. I live near a bountiful woodland with loads of goodies to choose from. I’m sure if I walk only a few metres I will find what I need!
Choclette says
These two greens are annuals and grow in disturbed soils Kellie, which is why they are so commonly found in gardens.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
Pesto is one of my absolute fav things ever so I really like learning about new greens to use.
Choclette says
Ah yes, pesto is a brilliant thing, if homemade. I’ve never yet found a bought one that I like Bintu.
Phil in the Kitchen says
I am very, very definitely in favour of eating weeds. I’ve usually got plenty. This sounds like an excellent idea. I know that ground elder is edible too and I’ve got plenty of that but I’ve tried it and I’m not convinced so far about the taste.
Choclette says
Haha, yes indeed Phil. Weeds are one of the sure fire things that are guaranteed to grow.
Kath says
This is such a brilliant use of these “weeds”, I now feel guilty for feeding them to the chickens. The chickens on the other hand are looking worried.
Choclette says
Ah they don’t have those names for nothing Kath – expect the chickens love them and then you get all the nutrients in the eggs. That’s my theory anyway and I’m sticking to it ;-
Louise says
Mmm, I love pesto. This one sounds delicious π
Louise x
Choclette says
Thanks Louise, it really is good.
Kayleigh says
This looks brilliant, I love pesto but have never made it before. I didn’t even know there were so many variations.
Choclette says
Ah the wonders of pesto Kayleigh. Beware, if you make your own, you may never go back to the bought stuff again π
Janice says
Yay for free foraged food! I don’t think we have Fat Hen round our way, but there is certainly plenty of chickweed, love how you have used it.
Choclette says
Thanks Janice. If you can be bothered to collect enough chickweed, I bet that would be fab all on it’s own.
Helen says
This looks great! None of these plants to be seen in my garden though π
Maybe I’ll have to start planting ‘weeds’!
Choclette says
I’m really grateful for the weeds Helen as it means we’ve got something to eat from the plot, even if we’ve not managed to plant much – always so much to do!
Jo of Jo's Kitchen says
Yummy! I want to try some fat hen leaves. They sound really interesting
Choclette says
If you have a garden or allotment Jo, they are probably lurking around somewhere π
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Gosh you’re so clever, I would never have dreamed that you could use weeds in a useful way! Love it!
Choclette says
Becca thank you, but I’m sure you did. How about wild garlic?
Andrea @ The Petite Cook says
This pesto is incredible! Love the ingredients and the bright green result! I will surely make it ( I’m one of those pesto-addicters) π Thank you for sharing my Rocket pesto and Broccoli pesto recipes!
Choclette says
Thank you Andrea, it makes a nice change and is truly delicious. And like you, I love the vibrancy of it.
Nayna Kanabar says
I have never heard of these weeds so I am amazed at their use.
Choclette says
I’ve put pictures of them both up on the post now Nayna – might help!
Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs says
Is it really bad if I admit I’ve never heard of fat hen or chickweed before?! This looks delicious though – very healthy. I’ll have to hunt some down π
Choclette says
Thanks Emma, I’m going to add some pics of the plants to my post when I get five minutes.
Sus @ roughmeasures says
what an interesting recipe! I love that you’ve used something that most people would just through out. Might see if my mum has any in her garden! Thanks for linking up my pesto π
Choclette says
Thanks Sus, there’s something really satisfying about eating ‘food for free’.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Didn’t know they were edible! The pesto looks very delicious, Choclette.
Choclette says
Thank you Angie. I’ve just taken some photos of both weeds and will add them to my post when I get a chance.
Lucy @ BakingQueen74 says
Yum, this pesto looks delicious. I wouldn’t know where to start with cooking with weeds or wild plants!
Choclette says
These two are both annuals that just appear all over our veg beds. Most gardeners would pull them up and stick them in the compost – we eat them because we haven’t got much else π
But it would be a shame to throw them away, because they are very tasty and I expect have all sorts of good things in them.