Spicy smoky red pesto

Step 1/4

• ⅓ bulb garlic (smoked)
• 1 pinches smoked salt
• 41⅔ ml olive oil

• ramekin
• aluminum foil

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 degrees for fan assisted). Wrap a bulb of smoked garlic in foil with the top uncovered and place in a small glass container. Pour 40ml of the olive oil and sprinkle a large pinch of smoked salt into the foil. When the oven reaches that temperature leave it in for 30 minutes.

Step 2/4

• 13⅓ g pine nuts (toasted)

• frying pan

Meanwhile, with a frying pan, toast the 40 grams of pine nuts on the hob until golden brown and you can smell them.

Step 3/4

• 16⅔ g basil
• 16⅔ g Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 2⅔ jarred sun-dried tomatoes
• ⅛ bhut jolokia chilli

• electric chopper

Add the basil, grated parmesan, toasted pine nuts and sundried tomatoes to an electric chopper and blend. Then add the other two pinches of the smoked salt and the bhut jolokia chilli, though it is recommended that you taste along the way to add whatever chilli volume suits you, though be aware that when the pesto is hot it will be far spicier as the chilli is activated in high temperature. Add some oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes (about 35ml) to the mix, blend one last time and it is done

Step 4/4

• saucepan

Before serving or using in whichever dish, I would recommend heating the pesto up until hot first, potentially in a saucepan for example, as it tastes better, and especially the spice feels more satisfying.

Enjoy your meal!