grilled asparagus pesto

Sarah and I are leaving Wednesday night for a long weekend in Chicago. We had a lot to do tonight with the laundry and the packing, so we threw together a quick meal with what we had on hand and to use up some perishables. Sarah made a nice summery tossed salad, and I grilled up some Italian sausage we had left over in the freezer from Memorial Day.

We had some asparagus we bought over the weekend at the West Side Market that I intended to just grill up for a side, then I came across this Bobby Flay recipe. We have basil and cilantro (I like a combination of the two in pesto) growing in our little back porch herb garden, and I thought this would make a great condiment for the sausage. It did, and would be great in any of the usual pesto roles.

And, by the way, the grilling went off without a hitch...

Grilled Asparagus Pesto
1 lb. grilled asparagus
1/2 cup fresh herbs (I use equal amounts of basil and cilantro when I make pesto; parsley is another good option)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts or chopped walnuts
1/2 cup grated romano or parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil to desired consistency (about 3/4 cup)

Combine the asparagus, herbs, garlic and nuts in a food processor and pulse a few times to coarsely chop. With the motor running on low, slowly add olive oil and process until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste; transfer pesto to a bowl and stir in the grated cheese.