It's Easy Being Green

 

The “Unofficial End of Summer” has passed.  While August in our part of the country seemed to be rather pleasant, summer was not about to wave the white flag in surrender.  Yes, those hazy, hot & humid days made a comeback this past Labor Day weekend & the A/C was on full blast.  In the wake of celebrating the end of summer with food but not wanting to slave over a kitchen stove all day, I turned my thoughts to pesto. Pesto is easy to make.  It doesn’t require any serious cooking and it’s a great way to experiment with different herbs, nuts & textures.  It’s also very versatile.  It’s a sauce, it’s a condiment, it’s a dip, or it can be whatever you want it to be.  

Most people are familiar with the traditional pesto made with basil but nowadays, pesto has given way to many creative combinations.  For those who have never made pesto, here are 2 very simple & easy recipes along with some ideas for its use.  The basil pesto will be perfect for anyone who is staring at their big, overgrown basil plant and thinking what to do with it all.  Mom?  I’m talking to you. J

Recipe #8: Basic Pesto

 
It's Easy Being Green
 

*Depending on what you plan to do with your pesto, you have to play around with the consistency.  The more oil you add, the looser the texture, so keep that in mind when planning on ways to use it.  This is what makes it so versatile.

Ingredients:

2C.             fresh basil leaves (packed)**
1/4c           toasted pine nuts ***
1 cloves     garlic
~2/3 c.       extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground pepper
 ½ c             freshly grated Parmesan cheese

**In a pot of salted water, blanch the basil leaves for approximately 45 seconds and then drain in a colander.  Allow to cool and squeeze by hand the excess water.  This process helps to retain the beautiful green color of pesto & allows it to retain that color for a few days after making it.  It’s a little trick I learned about recently.

 ***Rather than turn on a stove, I prefer to take a sauté pan, spray it with some cooking spray & then “toast” the nuts in the pan.  The only caveat, they will cook quicker than in an oven so you have to keep an eye on them but atleast you can swish the pan around and cook them evenly.

Process the basil, pine nuts, garlic & salt & pepper until finely chopped.  While processor is still running, add enough oil to form a paste that is smooth & consistent.  Transfer to a bowl and fold in the parmesan cheese.   Season to taste w. salt & ground black pepper.


 
Heirloom Zebra stripe tomatoes with Basil Pesto, fresh mozzarella & a drizzle of olive oil.


Recipe #9: Arugula pesto **From: Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

 2C.             fresh arugula leaves (packed)

1 cloves     garlic
½ c             extra virgin olive oil
½ c             freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

In a food processor, pulse the arugula & garlic until finely chopped.  While the blender is running, gradually add the oil to form a smooth yet loose enough mixture.  Pour the mixture in a bowl and fold in the Parmesan cheese.  Season to taste with salt & freshly ground pepper.

Recipe Idea: Arugula pesto with Gemelli pasta, baby peas & grated sharp provolone

 

 This was really good!!