Spatula Diaries: Playing around with pesto
Photo by Maggie Heyn Richardson
It may sound so ’90s, but pesto remains one of summer’s tastiest and most versatile condiments.
Made fast with homegrown basil, mint, spinach or other seasonal green stuff, it’s useful slathered on French bread sandwiches, drizzled in soup, tossed in pasta or draped between thick slices of tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.
By now—mid-June—the basil you planted this spring is high, lush and screaming to be harvested. The leaves you pick today will quickly replenish throughout the summer, because basil, the herb that tastes best in pesto, is a plant that likes to be used.
|
|
Here’s how: In a blender or food processor, combine 2 cups cleaned and dried basil leaves with ¼ cup pine nuts, walnuts or almonds and 1 large garlic clove. Toss some lemon zest and juice in for extra flavor. As the mixture is pureeing, slowly add 2/3 cup olive oil and salt to taste. Before serving, add ½ cup grated parmesan. If you choose to freeze, do so before adding the parmesan.
Besides pasta, sandwiches and Caprese salad, here are 10 more dishes that crave pesto:
- Turkey meatballs
- Deviled eggs
- Chicken or tuna salad
- French bread pizza
- Veggie lasagna
- Bean and pasta soup
- Planked salmon or redfish before roasting
- Halved cherry tomatoes
- Goat cheese log with good crackers
- Roasted potatoes
Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor and the author of Hungry for Louisiana, An Omnivore’s Journey, a book that examines 8 of Louisiana’s tastiest and most interesting foods (LSU Press). You can reach her at hungryforlouisiana.com or on Twitter @mhrwriter.
|
|
|
