It’s that time of year – basil is in the house. I love basil. It’s the perfect companion herb to hot-weather vegetables such as tomatoes and green beans. Isn’t it funny though, cilantro, a cool-weather herb also pairs well with tomatoes, but the reality is: cilantro and tomatoes are rarely, if ever, in “season” at the same time. Cilantro bolts in the heat of the summer garden (meaning it goes to seed) while tomatoes are prolific in the heat of summer.
I like plain and simple recipes. (See Hummus and Guacamole for example.) Here’s my fool-proof recipe for Basil Pesto. In another time we could say “pesto” and that implied basil. Now we have pesto made out of everything from arugula to sun-dried tomatoes, so for clarity’s sake I say Basil Pesto. If you don’t have a food processor, use a blender or immersion blender. Either works just as well. The trick to maintaining a bright green-color is to #1: add the basil last and #2: store the pesto in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent oxidation, or darkening, of the basil. The pesto can always be thinned by stirring in additional olive oil.
Makes about 2 cups
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup walnuts
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups fresh basil leaves (from about 4 ounces fresh basil)
Place cheese, oil, walnuts, garlic, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Run the processor to form a thick paste, about 30 seconds. With a silicone spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl and run for 15 more seconds. Place the basil in the bowl and process until the basil is finely chopped and well incorporated into the cheese/olive oil paste. Serve immediately or store, refrigerated, in a glass or plastic container with a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto.