Mustard green and honey pesto pizza

Sweet sauces Italian cuisine

One summer in a fevered pique of cooking local, I signed up my husband and I for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share. Enthusiastic for the produce to come I vowed to throw out nothing. Also, we had spent $550 up front to join. In the beginning, it was a manageable quantity, 5-7 lbs a week. By the height of the summer we were overwhelmed by the 15-20 lbs of produce we were receiving weekly. I stuck by my promises, I would cook it all. Then we got mustard greens. I had no interest in braising them to within an inch of their life; seemed against the point signing up for a weekly fresh produce commitment. I was at a loss until I decided to make them into a pesto. Threw the raw greens in the food processor, squeezed a bunch of honey, parmesan cheese and toasted walnuts. Added in olive oil while letting it whirl away, pureeing while I crossed my fingers. The raw pesto was, ahem, harsh but I was a woman on a mission. I was going to make it work and I have a husband who will eat anything. (Always a good match for an experimental home cook.) Ladies, you have that piece of unsolicited advice for free. You're welcome. I threw that harsh pesto on a pizza, smothered it in mozzarella so as to hide the crime underneath, and prayed. When I took out the pizza, that pesto had transformed form a harshly bitter sauce to a spicy sweet paste under a cheesy topping. An accidental hit. I've included a recipe for the pizza dough though no one will judge you for using uncooked pizza dough you bought from the supermarket if it's easier for you because no one will know.