Arugula is a tricky beast. It’s got a bit of a sharp flavor that can be overwhelming. But if I find  some other element to mellow it out it can be really delicious. I made a fairly standard pesto using arugula instead of basil and pecans instead of pine nuts:

3 C arugula, packed
1-2 cloves garlc, roughly chopped
1/4 C pecans
1 tbsp lemon juice
Olive oil to taste
salt and pepper to taste
at least 1/3 C pecorino romano

Blend the first five ingredients in a food processor and pulse to desired consistency. Add pecorino to taste, adjust with salt and pepper.

This pesto has a very fresh, spring-y kind of flavor. So what do you do with it? I’m glad you asked!

Arugula Pesto Pizza with Grilled Eggplant and Sausage

Yes, that’s a Boboli crust. Don’t hate. I froze it, slapped on some pesto, grilled eggplant, grilled peppers, fresh mozzarella, and some bits of sausage. Bake at 415 for about 12 minutes. Delish!

Or:

Arugula Pesto Gnocchi with Grilled Scampi Shrimp

This was wicked easy. I marinated the peeled shrimp in a Ziploc bag filled with lemon zest, chopped garlic, a few sprigs of basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then I skewered them and grilled them for 3 minutes on my panini grill. Meanwhile I cooked up a package of gnocchi according to the directions. I added about 1/3 cup of half and half to my remaining pesto – probably around 2/3 of a cup. You can eyeball this. It should be thinner than paste, but not too runny. I warmed the sauce slightly while the gnocchi was cooking and added it immediately to the sauce. I added the shrimp last so I wouldn’t overcook them. It was a big hit! Don’t forget some garlic bread to mop up all that lovely pesto sauce. You wouldn’t want to waste it!