Basil

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Permalink Reply by Shelly Marsh on August 25, 2011 at 10:29am

Hi Darren,

 

I have a ton of basil also and love to make pesto.  Here is the recipe.  Easy!

 

For the processor

2 cups tightly packed frest basil leaves

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons pine nuts

2 garlic cloves, chopped fine before putting in the processor

Salt

 

For completion by hand

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

2 tablespoons freshly grated romano cheese

3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature

 

1.  Briefly soak and wash the basil in cold water, and gently pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels.

2.  Put the basil, olive oil, pine nuts, chopped garlic, and an ample pinch of salt in the processor bowl, and process to a uniform, creamy consistency

3.  Transfer to a bowl, and mix in the two grated cheeses by hand.  It is worth the slight effort to do it by hand to obtain the notably superior texture it produces.  When the cheese has been evenly amalgamated with the other ingredients, mix in the softened butter, distributing it uniformly into the sauce.

4.  When spooning the pesto over pasta, dilute it slightly with a tablespoon or two of the hot water in which the pasta was cooked.

 

Freezing pest - Make the sauce by the food processor method through to the end of Step 2, and freeze it without cheese and butter in it.  Add the cheese and butter when it is thawed, just before using.

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Permalink Reply by Darren Wright on August 25, 2011 at 11:18pm

Thanks Shelly!

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Permalink Reply by Buddy Greenoe on September 22, 2011 at 3:48pm

My wife has a great tomato basil soup recipe and a terrific basil humus recipe if you are interested. buddy@indrs.com

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Permalink Reply by James Gehringer on December 16, 2011 at 1:54pm

Use pesto in the following recipe for a great pasta chicken dish.

I found this recipe at AllRecipes.com a very fun spot that is full of good recipes.

 

Also, it is easy to grow your own garlic! There is plenty help on the web.

   In MO you basically plant in fall, mulch, keep weeded and 9 months later harvest.

Pesto Pasta with Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into strips
• 1/2 cup pesto sauce

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until tender, then stir in chicken. Season with red pepper flakes. Cook until chicken is golden, and cooked through.
3. In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. Toss to coat evenly.

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