Basil harvesting was done this weekend. I like to harvest basil early in the morning. With a cup of coffee. While everyone in the neighborhood is still sleeping.
Everyone but Harvey that is. Harvey likes to do all garden work with me including weed pulling and basil harvesting. Sometimes Harvey forgets he's a cat and poses like a dog.
Before you know it we had a nice big colander full.
I washed it (2 packed cups), cut off the stems, toasted some pine nuts (1/4 cup) and some garlic (4 cloves), grated some romano cheese (1/3 cup), and threw it all in the food processor along with 1/2 tsp salt and 7 tablespoons of good olive oil.
When all was said and done here is what I had.
So far I have mixed some with mayonnaise and put a small amount on top of batch #2 of fried green tomatoes. It took the tomatoes completely over the top in terms of utter succulent divine-ness. Next I ate some on a couple of wheat thins along with some triple cream brie cheese and grapes. Ridiculously rapturous. Finally I sliced and heated up baguette last night to go with spaghetti and used the pesto instead of butter on the bread. Splendiforous.
If you need another reason to make some, my next project is to put it on toast and top it with a sliced hard boiled egg. We are talking simple goodness here. Emphasis on the goodness.
Oh my goodness, I do wish I lived next door and could pester you for some pesto on anything! ;o)
Posted by: jacki long | 07/28/2015 at 12:44 AM
YUM!
Posted by: Janet | 07/28/2015 at 07:05 AM
Ah pesto! one of the most sensual of all foods imho. We have too much humidity for early morning harvesting. My herbs need to dry off with the sun before this kind of harvest. I also make herbal vinegars which only involves heating the vinegar and infusing.
Posted by: Maureen | 07/28/2015 at 09:59 AM
Do you roast your garlic? Inquiring minds want to know.
Posted by: jan b. | 07/31/2015 at 10:01 PM