• Prep the lemon: Using a Y-shaped peeler (or a standard vegetable peeler), peel the zest off 1 large lemon in wide strips.

  Note: Be careful to avoid peeling the pith from the lemon, which is the bitter, white layer underneath the yellow peel.

  Juice the lemon and set aside; you should have about 2 - 3 tablespoons juice.

Make the Pesto:

• To the bowl of a food processor, add the lemon peels, 3 tablespoons pine nuts, 1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (loosely packed), 1 clove garlic, peeled, 1 cup loosely packed assorted fresh herbs, 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

  Pulse until a bright green, chunky paste just begins to form, scraping the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula to mix in any unincorporated bits.
• Slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and pulse until incorporated.
• Add 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Pulse until a creamy and light green paste forms.

  Taste and adjust the pesto for seasoning, adding Salt and black pepper as needed. If desired, add 1 - 2 tablespoons of the remaining juice. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

  Note: To decide how much lemon juice you'd like, take a bite of the pesto. It should taste slightly less lemony than you'd like, because the acidity will build up over time. Make sure there's enough salt too, to balance out the tartness!