Summer Pesto

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I am re-posting this for all of you who have fresh basil available now.  Use it before the weather changes!

I have a lot of lovely basil in my herb garden so it’s time to make pesto.  Whenever there is an abundance of something, that is the best time to preserve it.  In the case of fresh herbs, it’s also good to be taking cuttings as that encourages more growth. 

Fresh Basil growing in my herb pot. 

--> Take a few cuttings, wash the leaves and separate from the stems.  Washing really means to use cold water to remove any dirt, dust or foreign objects.

Wash well and inspect for insects if you grown organic.

Separate Leaves from Stems.

Pat dry with paper toweling. 

 I use a salad spinner to wash the basil, and to make sure it’s perfectly dry, I use some paper towels.  

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 While that is drying, I toast up some walnuts and/or pine nuts.

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Walnuts and Pine Nuts in a hot stainless steel pan. 

You can see that the nuts are getting brown.  Be sure to stir so they don't burn.

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People often ask if toasting nuts is a necessary step, and I suggest that you toast up some nuts in a pan and do your own taste test.  Simply heat a small pan over medium high heat, add nuts, stir or toss until they are “browned” and smell wonderful.  Let cool slightly, and then taste the before and after and see what you think.

Pesto is easily made in a food processor.  Here's my basic recipe.  

1-3 garlic cloves, peeled

1-1/2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 c. toasted nuts

1/2 Tbsp. Kosher salt or coarse salt

Put these ingredients into your food processor and turn on.  Use the pulse setting to chop everything up.  

You will also need:

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1/4 c. Finely Grated Good Parmesan (It's always better to buy a small triangle of good Parmesan and grate it fresh.  When you make fresh pesto, the cheese is important, and a little goes a long way.)

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Add olive oil very slowly while machine is running.   Remove mixture to a small bowl and stir in cheese.  

It is very important to taste this before using or storing.  You will know if it's delicious or not.  This is the time to add salt if it's bland.  Once you give it your seal of approval, you can use it as is on slices of toasted french bread, as a marinade for chicken, or put it into a small container to store it for future uses.  You can also freeze it. 

Fresh Pesto is incredibly delicious!