Basil Pesto

As promised, here is my pesto recipe and some photos...

Classic Pesto (from The All-New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook)

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts or pine nuts*
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled**
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cups basil leaves (about 4 ounces)
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION:

1. Drop nuts and garlic through food chute with food processor on; process until minced.

2. Add oil; pulse 3 times.

3. Add basil, cheese, and salt; process until finely minced, scraping sides of bowl once.

* I tried walnuts this time - I usually use pine nuts but I figured I'd see what it was like with something a little different - tastes just as good!

** Turns out that we were out of garlic (which I only discovered once I started making the pesto - I just used our garlic-infused olive oil instead, and it worked really well)

This pesto recipe is actually one of my favorites from this particular cookbook, and you can tell because the page is all wrinkled from where I've spilled on it. Oops. At least now the cookbook opens right to that page!

I just read an interesting technique on the Cooking Light website - it never occurred to me to blanch the basil before making this pesto, but it would help the pesto to stay greener. I'll have to try it next time!

The basil I used came from our herb garden - we had a much bigger garden last summer, but because of the move we've only been growing herbs this year. As you can see from the photo below, they're all doing really well (this was taken after I had already cut off the basil I needed for the pesto).

Chives, Sweet Basil, Purple Basil, Rosemary

We also have a separate pot with cilantro in it, but it didn't survive the move all that well. I think I need to re-pot it (or possibly just start with a new plant!). Eventually I plan to mount the window-box on the railing you see above it... (yes, K - this is the window-box you gave me when you guys moved, it's been great. THANK YOU!)