jpfeifer said:
I love Pesto. I don't grow my own Basil yet, but I would like to. My whole family loves Pesto. (I can't believe how much they charge for it at the store.) I usually buy fresh basil at the store to make it. I'd love to see your recipe for it to compare it with the one that I use.
-- Jim
Jim,
Growing basil is easy. Just make sure to pick leaves every day in the beginning even if you don't use them, this helps the basil plant grow into a huge bush.
Also nip those buds! The plant will keep trying to flower, don't let it. If it goes to seed then it will die. If you pull off the buds before they flower it will keep producing delicious leaves.
Recipe? I don' need no stinkin' recipe.
I rarely cook with recipes, but here is what I do.
I use a cuisinart.
First I pan toast 1/2 - 1 lb of pinenuts. Use a pan with a heavy bottom. I put the pan on high just until they start to toast and then immediately turn it down to low & keep those suckers moving. You are looking for an even rich brown. Do not let them burn.
While the nuts are cooling. I use the grater attachment on the cuisinart to grate a whole bunch'a parmesian cheese. If I was doing it correctly, I'd use parmesian-reggiano, but I just buy a big wedge at a Club Warehouse store. Very cheap & it works.
Next I change the blade on the 'nart to the normal cutting blade.
I throw in a small handfull of garlic cloves a little extra virgin olive oil & some salt (I use Kosher salt because it has a clean taste) & give it a whirl.
Now it's time to harvest the basil. I use a salad spinner, it usually takes three baskets full of leaves. Pick the leaves that are the darkest green and that are the glossiest--they will have the most basil oil. Don't bruise them or they will turn an ugly blackish-purple. Next rinse these beauts & give them a ride in the salad spinner.
Place the leaves in the cuisinart and turn it on. Add oil while it's spinning. How much oil? That depends on taste. I like my pesto thick, more like a paste than gloop, so I go easy on the oil. But as we are in pestoland, easy means that when I am finished I usually have used 1 liter. I tend to underuse oil when I make it & make up for it during storage (see below).
Now repeat the two steps above two more times. I usually add most of the oil in the first two batches because it proctects the leaves in the cuisinart from the air while I'm picking more leaves.
After the last batch of leaves is processed taste the salt content. You want it a little salty, but not too saltly as the cheese will bring salt to the party. Err on the side of too little, you can always add more at the end.
Now add the toasted pinenuts & pulse the cuisnart until the nuts are the consistency that you like. I like to see the golden bits in the pesto & to have them crunch a bit when eating the pesto. That is why I use a whole pound of them, I love the taste.
Transfer the elixer to a large bowl. I use glass because I'm afraid that aluminum might cause the leaves to change color, but I've never tried it so I don't know.
Fold in as much grated parmesian as you desire, added oil if needed.
I've never tried black pepper in it. I think I will next time. I'd use whole black peppercorns & spin them in the cuisinart before adding the garlic.
Presto pesto!
To store I smooth the top and cover with a layer of olive oil. This layer protects the pesto from the air. This extra oil layer is why I make the pesto itself quite thick. To serve dig a spoon into it! When done smooth the top & add more extra virgin olive oil if needed. I cover the bowl with plastic wrap & transfer it to a smaller bowls with lids as needed.
.
