Pesto

8/12/2013

Pesto is one of my favorite things to eat. I can mix it, spread it, and add it to just about anything. I make as many batches as I can during the summer when the basil is in full production and then use it throughout the winter months. Pesto is so fun because the ingredients differ from batch to batch depending what is in the garden and what I feel like that day. Not only is pesto delicious, it is also highly nutritious and even medicinal. Check out my post on basil here.

The first step to making pesto is gathering the ingredients. I like to take my garden basket out and snip a bit of this and a bit of that and lots of basil. Today I have some basil, lemon balm, kale and chard. You want about 2 cups of basil and 1 cup of other greens. I also threw in a small tomato or two and a little bit of zucchini - I don't think I can make anything during the summer without zucchini. Add some nuts, a couple garlic cloves, Real salt, and Parmesan cheese (or omit for a dairy free pesto). Feel free to add whatever you want to the basic pesto recipe. Using a food processor or high powdered blender (I use a Blendtec Blender with the Twister Jar) add the ingredients and process until desired texture and consistency is reached. I like mine more smooth and creamy, where the traditional pesto is more chunky.

Basic Pesto Recipe

½ cup olive oil (or herbal infused oil)
2 cups basil
1 cup leafy greens (kale, spinach, chard or other herbs of choice)
½ cup nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.)
3 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon Real salt
¼ c. Parmesan cheese

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You can now freeze in ice cube trays to preserve for later use, use as a classic pesto pasta or create some new culinary masterpieces. These are some of my favorite recipes using pesto.