Ah, pesto! This decadent little accent can elevate a meal and its flavor to new heights. Not to mention establish the host as a sophisticated, inveterate foodie. For how easy it is to make, it’s well worth the effort given the versatility and suitability for so many combinations of food!
I like to “draw outside the lines” when it comes to some established cooking recipes which is how we ended up with this, if I may say so myself, delicious pesto!
Ingredients details:
– 1 cup roughly chopped leaves of fresh basil
– ½ cup raw walnuts (now…if you really want to take this over the top, then pre-roast the nuts before adding. The walnuts can be substituted for any other ½ cup of your favourite nutty nuts. Could be cashews, peeled almonds, of course, the usual, pine nuts….even hazelnuts. In this case, the walnuts add a subtle flavor that blends in very well with the rest of the ingredients.
– Of note: fresh sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds can also be added or provide a substitute for a healthy and tasty addition to your pesto. (The idea is to ensure that in total, we add approx. ½ cup of nuts/seeds to the pesto
– ¼ teaspoon sea salt
– ½ cup olive oil (extra virgin or cold pressed ideal but, any fresh (not rancid) olive oil will do.
– ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese. The parmesan can be substituted for Stilton or a sharp old cheese in the same quantity: ½ cup. Alternatively, the cheeses can be combined: half parmesan half Stilton or another cheese you like.
– Optional: IF it’s in season, pick a handful of fresh dandelion leaves, remove the stems, and add the dandelion to the mix above.
– 1-2 large cloves of garlic based on your taste. Start with one, taste the pesto after blending, and adjust if you’d like more.
Optional – for presentation & garnish
– A diced basil leaf
– A few roasted nuts (keep about 6-10 walnut halves or available nuts for roasting)
– Sundried tomato
– Microgreens
Making the pesto:
Place the oil in your blender (any working blender will do) followed by the nuts and the basil, salt, dandelion (if available) and blend until a thick paste forms. Taste it and adjust for salt, garlic. If too thick, add a sprinkle of olive oil, stir and re-blend until everything is well combined.
When serving, to take this over the top, please pre-roast the garnish nuts and sprinkle them on top of the pesto or on the serving plate on top of the pesto. It’s a 5 minute addition to your cooking time that will pay off in spades!
Now for options on presenting and serving the pesto:
– It’s absolutely perfect spread on GREAT slice of fresh crusty bread (optionally, toasted if a day old)
– Served on the side of breakfast/eggs (made any way, especially fried – sunny side up)
– Mixed with freshly cut tomatoes (hairloom or organic if possible would be stupendous, but not critical) and sprinkled with a bit of basil
– On the side of a steak, especially lamb!
– By my definition, and preference, pesto can uplift any meal combo. Add a dollop on the side of anything on your plate and scoop a little on your fork for a Ratatouille bite for the ages!
