Summer Harvest: Pesto

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The long, hot summer has gotten to the point where basil must be harvested.  I was fortunate enough to be given a bucket full of freshly harvested basil, a combination of sweet and Genovese varieties.  With that kind of volume, nothing but a quick turn in the food processor will do to make perfect pesto.  I'll store it in the freezer to use for the next few months in a variety of ways. Pesto is a versatile sauce that can be used for pasta, with vegetables, added as an accent to soups or to fish or meats.  I love to toss a little with steamed potatoes and beans.  

I use pecans instead of pine nuts.  I like the sweetness and I'm from Texas. Walnuts, almond or a combination of nuts are also really good.  I leave out the garlic and add crushed red and ground black peppers for a little bite.  I also like to add the zest and juice of a lemon or two.  I don't add the cheese to the pesto until I'm ready to use it.  I find it this keeps a smoother texture when the pesto is frozen and then thawed.  

I always make mine freehand based on taste and texture. I ended up with 16 cups of packed basil leaves, so I scaled up accordingly.   I made an effort to keep measurements and scale  them down for a  smaller quantity, so you may have to adjust for your taste, which you should do anyway.

If you've never made pesto, now's a good time to try it. All you need are the ingredients and a food processor.  If you're old school, a mortar and pestle will be even better. 

RECIPE: Basil Pesto (With Pecans)

YIELD  Makes 2 Cups

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup pecans (pine nuts, slivered almonds or walnut halves will do)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4 packed cups fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storage
  • Juice add zest of 2 lemons
  •  1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
  • 1/4 cup grated parmagiano regiano (leave this out if freezing)

PROCESS

  • Put the nuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
  •  Add the basil, oil, salt, peppers and  pulse for 1 minute or so until smooth.
  • Add the lemon juice and zest and pulse for 1 minute more, until smooth. 
  • Stir in the cheese if using soon.  Leave this out if you are freezing.
  • To store, transfer the pesto to a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid. Pour a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto, seal and refrigerate up to 10 days or freeze up to 3 months.