It was time this week to do a purge of the older basil plants in the glasshouse here at Struan Farm. The last crop of the season is now out of the growing cells and potted up, so I am able to de-commission their exhausted predecessors. I cut the usable basil from the plants before tossing them into the compost bin, and cranked up the food processor to make some pesto for the freezer.
This is when I especially need friends Kris and Bob, pesto makers extraordinaire, to come visit. They are living in Charlottesville, Virginia now, a slightly longer trip, so regrettably can't pop down on a moment's notice. I tried to channel their spirit as best I could. Kris tastes as she goes to make sure consistency and seasonings are good. (She does use a spoon to be uber-hygenic, while I am inclined to use my finger...)
Four full cups of basil leaves, 1/2 cup of pine nuts, 1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan, one clove of garlic and 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil (some people add a bit of salt but I prefer it without). Processed until smooth. I made four batches, one to be used this week for our caprese salads while the tomatoes from the garden keep coming, three containers for the freezer. If you don't have pine nuts or parmesan on hand the other ingredients can be used to make a Provencal sauce called "pistou," often used in vegetable soup. We can't let fresh basil go to waste, can we?
Next on the agenda is parsley walnut pesto given the copious amounts of Italian parsley I have growing in the backyard, with walnuts left in the freezer from last year's harvest. It's almost time for this year's walnuts, so I can use last year's up without guilt. I actually prefer this twist on pesto to the more traditional version--it isn't quite as rich.
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