Making Pesto

[frigilux]

I do love me some pesto; And since the garden gods have blessed me with a bumper crop of basil, what better to do on a sunny, breezy Sunday morning than to harvest some and make a batch of pesto to freeze.

Here's the first haul of fragrant basil. Next to bread baking, having basil in the kitchen is my favorite food scent.

 

[frigilux]

Here are the other usual suspects (the salt is hidden---it's propping up the Parmesan) for making 'classic' basil.

 

[frigilux]

M-m-m--m-m....toasted pine nuts. For the uninitiated, they don't taste of pine. They taste more like sunflower seeds.

 

[frigilux]

Purists insist on using a mortal & pestle, but there's no way I have the patience for that. It's the food processor for me, kids!

 

[frigilux]

After a few 1-second pulses, a bowlful of basil is reduced to this.

 

[frigilux]

I freeze pesto for year-round use, and storing it in 1/2-pint deli containers works very well for that. A layer of olive oil over the top prevents the pesto from turning dark.

 

[frigilux]

There are as many pesto recipes as there are pesto fans. Here's one of my favorites.
Pesto is great stirred into pasta sauce (red or white), in cheese bread spread, in scrambled eggs, in meatloaf....wherever a little kick from fresh basil is wanted.

 

[mickeyd]

It's so fresh and fragrant, I can smell it and taste it.

'Tis indeed a gorgeous Sunday, and you just added to the beauty.

You basil looks like baby marijuana leaves.

Love the orderly petri-dish arrangement of the final stage of your experiment; wish I had your gift of orderliness!!! It is so satisfying and pleasurable to see.

EUGENE !!!!!!

 

[frigilux]

H-m-m-m....Marijuana pesto. Now there's one I've not seen in the recipe books, yet. Were I still in my younger/wilder phase, I'd be right on that one, Mikey.

 

[~sudsshane]

Eugene~

Thanks so much for sharing! Your homemade pesto looks divine! I too love fresh herbs. I have a small herb garden in my backyard,nothing beats fresh basil! I also grow greek oregano,parsley,rosemary and thyme.

 

[frigilux]

Thanks, Shane; I used to grow other herbs in the garden, but wound up focusing on basil. There are 7 big, healthy plants in the garden this year. I love to use it in chopped salads and fresh pasta sauce during the summer as well as making about twenty-four half-pint containers to freeze. It makes a great gift to foodies, as well. Enjoy your fresh herbs---I suppose you can grow them year 'round, eh?

 

[appnut]

To my knowledge I've never had pesto before. And since I can no longer eat nuts (WATCH IT Toggles, I'm trying to behave myself too), I will never know what this dish is like.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Appnut-

It's OK to leave the nuts out. Though not 'true' pesto, some people with allergies do leave them out. You could always use a little sunflower oil to add a similar flavor. I remember a Nanny episode where Max was supposedly going to Harvey Fierstein's house for dinner, and Niles answered a call from Harvey.

(to Maxwell): Sir, it's Mr. Fierstein. He's making pesto and wants to know if you can digest pine nuts.

(to Harvey upon not getting an answer): Just put his nuts on the side.

Chuck

p.s.- Great looking pesto! I too love my basil plants! I process them with a little olive oil and freeze the result in ice cube trays. Pop out the cubes and wrap them, and, instant 'fresh' basil all winter!