Basic Basil Pesto or Pistou
Preparation info
Difficulty
Easy
Makes about
1 cup
Appears in
Cooking One on One
By John Ash
Published 2004
Ingredients
3 cups 2 tablespoons 3 tablespoons â…“ cup â…“ cup - Salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
Drop Basil into a pot of boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds. Immediately drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and set the bright green color. Drain the basil and squeeze out as much water as you can. Chop the basil coarsely and place in a food processor or blender, and add the garlic, nuts, and olive oil. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer (see note) for up to 3 months.
Variations
Pesto is open to improvisation. During the winter, when good basil is impossible to get, I love to make parsley pesto. But don’t stop with the herbs; you can also play around with any of the four basic ingredients:
Green Herbs Substitute parsley, cilantro, arugula, spinach, chard, watercress, or scallion tops for the basil, singly or in combination.
Nuts Substitute walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios, macadamias, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), sesame seeds, or peanuts for the pine nuts and almonds.
Oils Substitute flavored olive oils, such as lemon or orange, or nut oils, such as walnut, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, or pumpkin seed, for some or all of the olive oil.
Cheese Substitute any dry grating cheese for the Parmesan, such as aged Crottin (a dry goat cheese), Queso Anejo (dry Mexican grating cheese), or whatever else you like.
© 2004 John Ash. All rights reserved.