METHOD
- Put the olive oil, garlic, and green leafy herbs into a food processor.
- Blend until you have a smooth paste.
- Add handfuls of other ingredients a little at a time until everything is completely blended.
- Put into a lidded jar and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
STORAGE
Fresh pesto usually lasts in the fridge for about one week. We always eat it before then, but for longer storage, fill an ice tray with the pesto and freeze it. Remove the frozen pesto cubes from the ice tray and store them in a jar in the freezer. You can pull out a few pieces at a time to add to soups and sauces throughout the year.
RECIPES
My basic pesto recipe does not include cheese. Once the cheese is added, it basically means that I can’t eat as much of the pesto as I would like to. You will still find cheese in some of the pesto recipes, but they are richer and more suited for hors d’oeuvres and garnishes. I like to skip the cheese in main courses and eat lavish amounts of pesto.
Garlic varies greatly in gradients of heat, so you are going to have to be the judge of how much garlic you use. I follow the general guideline of adding one small clove for every 1 cup (30 g) of leafy green herbs.
BASIC PESTO
¾ cup (180 ml) olive oil, or ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil plus ¼ cup (60 ml) herb-infused olive oil
2½ cups (75 g) fresh leafy green herbs
½ cup (24 to 48 g) fresh savory herbs
¼ to ½ cup (36 to 73 g) nuts or seeds
2 to 3 garlic cloves
¼ teaspoon (1 g) salt
Variations
¼ cup (31 g) grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
More variations
Add one of the following ingredients to the Basic Pesto recipe for variety.
¼ cup (18 g) fresh edible flowers (see Fresh Edible Flowers, page 227)
¼ cup (23 g) chopped dry-packed sun-dried tomato
1 green/spring onion (white and green parts)
1 red bell pepper/capsicum
¼ cup (39 g) whole Greek olives, pitted
¼ cup (75 g) capers
1 to 3 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) tamari
1 teaspoon (3 g) fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon (3 g) fresh grated horseradish
Cayenne to taste
Jalapeño chiles to taste
