We decided to have pasta last night which is something I have been trying to limit. The girls had a friend over who is a vegetarian and I wanted to make sure dinner was edible for her. I served a salad to everyone first while I was finishing up dinner. It was more of a casual meal and we ate in the kitchen. The kids gobbled up their salads as they were hungry from the swimming they had done. I've also learned if you want them to eat their salads - don't serve them dinner until the salads are gone. It's what they do in restaurants and when they are hungry - they will eat it.
Next came the pasta and chicken (tofu) nuggets. The pasta was a tri-colored vegie based pasta allowing me to sneak in a few more veggies there. I offered two sauces, thinking the girls might not enjoy the pesto. A garlic and herb from a jar and then my homemade pesto.
For the pesto, I headed out to the deck to my yummy pot of basil. For some reason, I have no problem growing basil. It's true - I kill everything else but basil grows like weeds for me. It must thrive on neglect. After snipping several stems, I headed back in to wash, and pulverize my bounty.
The reason I love pesto is that you can make it different each time. I never really have a plan or follow a recipe but rather follow a simple guide. I know I will add quite a bit of basil and I always throw nuts in to help my basil chop easier. My $5.00 food processor requires something to push down the basil which is fine as it allows me to chop my nuts at the same time.
I used walnuts last night but am just as happy with pine nuts, almonds,, cashews - you name it. They all add different flavor and bring different textures and even smells to the dish. After murdering the nuts and basil, I add quite a bit of lemon juice, some parmesan cheese and olive oil. Mix it all up - throw in some spices and it's done.
Pesto is personal. It defines my mood at the moment I'm cooking. I never make it the same twice and yet it is always delicious. I rely on my senses as I cook to know when food is finished and ready to be enjoyed by others but I know not everyone is comfortable with that process. Therefore, here is a very rough recipe for my pesto.
@ 4 cups of basil
@ 1 to 2 cups of nuts (any variety - traditional nut used is pine nut)
@ 1 1/2 cups of parmesan cheese
@ 1 cup of lemon juice
@ 1 1/2 cups olive oil
@ 1/8 cup salt (it takes out any bitterness in the basil, however, I am limiting my salt and used Mrs. Dash last night and it was delicious)
Chop basil and nuts together until very fine. Add the remainder of ingredients and add small amounts to pasta, to stuff cherry tomatoes, put on bruschetta, or any number of uses. You can freeze whatever you don't use so don't let your basil go to waste.
add or substitue anything you can dream of but here are a few of my more common ones.
* carrots ran through the food processor ( makes it more colorful and a little sweeter)
* broccoli or really any vegetable
* variety of nuts - while pine nuts are the traditional and extremely buttery and delicious - I also love cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and the ever yummy macadamian
* lime juice
* feel free to use any cheese - I have frequently replaced parm with feta, blue, asiago etc. It usually helps if it is a crumbly cheese but it doesn't have to be..
* jump in and change up your oil too - if you don't have olive, feel free to use canola but if you really want to mix it up try walnut or any other nut oil - they have a lower smoke point so are not good for cooking but excellent for pesto and are healthier and offer unique flavors.
* spices - are required in this dish to take out the bitterness you receive when cutting open fresh greenshowever - feel free to experimentand play. I love spices that come already combined for me like jamaican, creole etc. It takes the thinking out and provides a nice blend. And while I use to laugh at Mrs. Dash - she and I are forming a respectable friendship as I'm attempting to limit my salt intake.
Warning: Pesto makes you poop! So don't eat huge amounts at a dinner party. I'm not saying I did this once but...
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