Sunday, August 16, 2009

Making Pesto

With warm weather in May and most of the summer, we have had a good crop if basil in our garden this year. Today we harvested much of it to make pesto. Here the Mammoth Leaf Basil has already been harvested, and Tom is about to cut the standard variety.
The Mammoth variety lives up to it's name!
Here comes the next picking.
We inspect the leaves as we pick them off.
I stuff the food processor full of the basil leaves and chop.
Then I add walnuts ( a substitute for expensive pine nuts), Parmesan cheese and olive oil. You might notice the garlic is missing. We are pretty much a no-garlic household. I have never really liked it and both of us have trouble digesting it. That's why we like to make our own pesto.
When it's all blended and emulsified, I pour it into recycled plastic containers.
Now it will go into the freezer to enjoy this winter. Son Jake and his friend Tad have requested some too.
It's easy to just cut out a chunk, warn it in the microwave, and add it to pasta. We especially like it with angel hair pasta, stir fried chicken breast and sliced zucchini for an easy one-dish meal.
And we made sure to leave some basil in the garden to eat with the tomatoes that are beginning to ripen.

7 comments:

  1. Hmmmmm looks delicious! And I can almost smell it! You did have a great crop this year and it has been a great summer, hasn't it?

    Have a great week!

    Sylvia

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  2. What an absolutely wonderful blog. I should be getting ready to go out but I so am engrossed reading that it's hard to tear myself away! My aim is to start at the beginning and then catch up from there. Thank you so much for sharing. You grandchildren are just gorgeous. I hate to leave but I will be back soon..... Linda

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  3. sounds yummy and nutritious...good use of your garden and preparing storage for winter use.

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  4. I can almost taste it. I've never thought of freezing it. As much as I love pesto, when I think of the oil and calories, I usually pass.

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  5. Oh, you have no idea how much this fills me with longing. I LOVE basil, and I LOVE pesto. And my efforts to grow basil successfully have been once again shot down in flames. Sigh. One day I'll make my own beautiful pesto like yours! I found you in Michelles Rambling Woods - it's nice to meet you!

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  6. Yuuuum! That looks totally amazing! You guys are absolutely fantastic! My heroes!

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  7. Umm Pesto..!
    I didn't get my growing until recently, not sure what to expect, but certain it won't be a bumper crop!
    Pine nuts are very fatty, I prefer walnuts too.

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