Pesto time!

[Vanessa]

Hi guys! Just made the first pesto 2001! The pesto plants were not growing fast enough (DH kept teasing me) so I went on startng new from seeds. Now they are all doing great in rows near my tomatoes.

Because I started the garden a bit later it was exciting to pick basil and my first peppers! Hope you are enjoying your garden veggies!

[Wendy w]

Hi Vanessa!

The basil that I grew from seeds is growing slowly and is about 1" tall but it is very healthy. My 2 basil plants that I bought 2 & 3 weeks ago are getting taller and fuller. I should be making basil very soon! When I get tomatoes, I will have to send away for the fresh mozzarella kit that Grace suggested awhile back. Salade Caprese! Yummy!

[Mandy]

It's great to be back!

My basil is doing great too, I've been using it alot for my tomato sauce, I'll have to put pesto on my list too. Thanks for the reminder!

Mandy

[gertdog]

Mmmm, pesto. My mom used to make a "winter" pesto using dried herbs, and I loved that. Then I tried pesto with fresh basil... oh wow. Every summer, even if I don't plant a single other thing, there's a pot of pesto-bound basil growing on my front porch. Mine's not ready yet, though... :(

[lindrusso]

Gosh, you're posting is making me nervous. I've been away from my basil plants for a week and a half and I'm anxious to see what shape their in. Apparently it was quite warm for at least part of the time I was gone, so I hope they haven't flowered to badly. I made sure to pinch them back before I left, but they can grow new buds each day! I have one more container of pesto left from last summer, so I'm looking forward to re-stocking. I planted about 10 plants because some were not looking too healthy. When I left, many of them were taking off, so I could end up with more than I bargained for. But that's okay, I found another mom down the street who likes to make pesto, so she'll help me use it up!

Mmmmm....lots of pesto to make Lorilei's pesto salmon...it's kind of cheating to use "real" pesto, but sooooo good!

[andrea]

my favorite pesto recipe is from an old, old bon appetit... citrus pesto . it is made with fresh lemon, lime, and orange juices and only a little oil. so fresh and yummy on fish or pasta!!!

[Angela]

Andrea, that citrus pesto sounds great! Would you mind posting the recipe?

I have a ton of basil this year. I started seeds inside in March and they really took off! I transplanted some of the plants outside about 2 months ago and they are also doing well. So I've been saying that I need to make pesto. I've never made it before and am anxious to give it a shot.

[Wendy w]

I second it! Please post it Andrea!:)

[Vanessa]

CITRUS PESTO
Toss one cup of the pesto with one pound of cooked pasta, or try it as a sauce over baked chicken or fish.

2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves (from about 4 bunches)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chopped garlic

Combine all ingredients in processor. Blend until almost smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Transfer pesto to small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.) Makes 1 cup.
Bon Appétit April 1998

Coriander lime pesto:
1 cup packed fresh coriander sprigs, washed well and spun dry
1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves, washed well and spun dry
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted brown and cooled
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lime zestIn a food processor blend together all ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth. (Pesto keeps, surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, 1 week.) Makes about 2/3 cup.

GINGERED MINT PESTO
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

2 1/2 cups packed fresh mint leaves, washed well and spun dry
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh gingerroot
1/3 cup salted roasted cashews
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar

In a food processor blend together all ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Pesto keeps, surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, 1 week. Makes about 1 cup.
Gourmet August 1995

THREE-HERB PESTO (to be used with recipe below)
2/3 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
2/3 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
2/3 cup firmly packed fresh parsley leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 large garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or to taste

In a blender or food processor purée all ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth.Pesto keeps in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, chilled, up to 1 week.

Let pesto come to room temperature before using. Makes about 1 cup. Serves 6.
Gourmet May 1994

SLICED TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA WITH THREE-HERB PESTO
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
3 large vine-ripened tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese (preferably fresh), sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup Three-Herb Pesto
freshly ground black pepper to taste
basil, mint, and/or parsley sprigs for garnish if desired

On a large round platter alternate tomato and mozzarella slices, overlapping slightly, and spoon pesto in a ring around center of slices. Sprinkle tomatoes and mozzarella with pepper and garnish with herbs. Serves 6. Gourmet May 1994
Enjoy :):)

[Lynn B]

Oh, Vanessa! Thank you!

That citrus pesto recipe sounds WONDERFUL! :)


Lynn

PS Later: I couldn't stop thinking about that recipe :) so I marched right out to my herb garden and harvested my basil! I made one batch of the Citrus Pesto and it was soooooo delicious that I proceeded to promptly make 2 batches more! I froze the second two batches. They will be WONDERFUL in coming months when fresh basil is but a pleasant memory!

Thanks again!
Lynn

PPS Here's two of our favorite pesto recipes:

CILANTRO PESTO
1 1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves
1 large garlic clove
1/4 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 T pine nuts
1 tsp grated lime peel
5 T olive oil (I have used less)
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients (except olive oil) in food processor. Process to mix. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season w/ S & P and continue to process to desired consistency.

YEILD: About 2/3 cup


PISTACHIO PESTO
2 c fresh basil leaves (firmly packed)
2 large garlic cloves
1/4 c freshly ground parmesan cheese
1/3 c shelled pistachio nuts
1/2 c olive oil (I use less!)
S & P to taste

Same directions as above!
YIELD: About 1 1/4 c.

ENJOY!!!
L.

[Stephanie]

WOW, thanks for all the pesto recipes!

Does anyone know if basil is still good after it has flowered? I'm going to cut it back and try to use some of the leaves below the flowers, but did I wait too long?

I had such plans of making pesto and freezing it, but my plans didn't work out. Can I salvage my harvest?

[Lynn B]

Steph,

You can definitely use the basil once it has flowered! It is best to keep it from flowering (just cut or pick off the flowers), but the leaves that you have now should still be fine. Cutting off the flowers will also help the basil to grow thicker and bushier. And don't worry - basil is quite prolific and should give you LOTS of harvests!!!

One year I battled Japanese Beetles, and I thought they WON. They ate my basil down to nothing. I was soooo bummed. So I cut down all the stems to about 1" and guess what?! Within a few weeks I has another wonderful harvest!

[valeriek]

I second what Lynn has said. I can't believe how prolific my basil plant is (this is my first year growing basil, and I grow it inside my teeny, tiny apartment). I made the red pepper pesto (from CL) a few weeks ago, and I had pretty much picked most of the leaves off of my plant. I looked at the darn thing this morning and the it is bigger than before I made that batch of pesto. I can't believe it grew back that quickly! Still no flowers though. I can't wait to try some other basil recipes, especially that three-herb one that Vanessa posted. Right next to my basil plant is a mint plant.

[Stephanie]

Thanks for the info on the flowering basil Lynn. I actually have two different kinds of basil planted that have both flowered. I think I will try to make pesto from both of them to see if there is a difference in the taste.

[andrea]

vanessa-- thanks for posting the citrus pesto. i don't know if i would have remembered to type it up and post it!

lynn-- sooo glad you liked it! it's one of my all-time summer favorites!!!

[kabs]

Here's a unique twist on the ol' pesto- I found this and thought I'd give it a try sometime. I love dill, so it really caught my eye.

DILL LEMON PESTO



3 slices homemade-type white bread, torn into small pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup packed fresh dill (feathery leaves)
3/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaved parsley leaves, washed well and spun dry
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup olive oil

In a bowl soak bread in lemon juice and water 10 minutes and squeeze out excess liquid between hands. In a food processor blend together bread and remaining ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Pesto keeps, surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, 1 week.

Makes about 3/4 cup.