Fresh basil just smells of summer and it transfers that wonderful warm odor to everything it touches. This time of year, it is the perfect ingredient.
It has the power to elevate the most mundane of tomatoes into a juicy feast with just a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of sea salt. I can smell it just writing it…
I know that as the weather gets cooler, I will miss the fresh herbs from my garden so much and will have to start buying herbs again. Alas, supermarket basil enveloped in a plastic sleeve just does not have the same summery zing of the abundant backyard basil of August.
So, this basil pesto recipe allows you to preserve some of the scent and flavor of summer by making pesto you can freeze and pull out of the freezer throughout the cooler days. If you freeze it in small freezer bags you can defrost quickly by placing the bag (sealed of course) in a bowl of warm water or for smaller servings freeze in an ice cube tray.
This quick pesto recipe, is a great addition to pastas, roasted potatoes, soups, roasted veggies, grilled meat, the list goes on.
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (buy it in a block and grate, the stuff that comes ready grated does not have the same flavor – it reminds me of sawdust)
- 3 medium cloves of garlic, peeled
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves – discard the stems and just use the leaves
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts (or walnuts – although they are pricey I think the flavor of pine nuts is better for pesto than walnuts)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Start by plunging the basil leaves in a pan of hot water for a few seconds, dip in a sieve then remove and plunge into a bowl of ice-cold water. Gently dry on some paper towels.
Place all the ingredients into your blender and pulse. You may need to add a bit more olive oil if the mixture starts getting stuck in the blender. When combined, store in the fridge in an airtight container where it will last a few days. Or, freeze in freezer bags or an ice cube tray for Fall and beyond.
Fun pesto fact: Do you know how to stop your pesto going brown? Basil leaves oxidize very quickly but if you plunge them for a few seconds in hot water and then shock them in ice-cold water, they will keep their vibrant green hue.
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The ice cube trick is great. I use that every year. I love basil but hate the calories. Someone told me to add chicken stock to my basil to lighten it up. It works like a charm.
One of the best parts of summer eating is pesto!
I make it every week when the garden is in full swing, w/same basic recipe, but doubled or sometimes tripled.
This year, I tried substituting good chicken stock for 1/2 of the oil, left out the nuts and added a bit of fresh lemon juice. A little healthier and still tasty. Besides putting it on pasta, pesto is also good spread on good Italian bread topped w/a sliced tomato. The ice cube tray idea is genius.
Can you just buy this stuff ready made? Some places will even sell you the pasta and put the pesto on for you. They’re rent you a dish and utensils to eat it. And a chair to sit on. And a table. Gosh, you gotta love this country!
Where have I been hiding? First I am learning about the ice cube trick! Definitely going to use it. . .I have to start making my big batches of pesto this week! Thanks for the reminder. And I agree, expensive or not, pine nuts are the way to go. Costco sells them far cheaper than any place I’ve found.