Putting Food By - making pesto

I had no idea how easy it was to make pesto until Helen sent me the recipe, it's very simple and easy to freeze!  I grew pesto in containers this year, here is a shot of my 7 pots of pesto; which I grew from one packet of seeds from Halifax Seed.

These plants had already been picked over, twice, I've picked about 10 cups of leaves so far!  I've both heard from Helen, and read in the awesome book by  Nikki Jabour ("Year Round Vegetable Gardener") that if you pinch off the flowers as they grow, and pick leaves, more leaves will keep growing.  Good to know, as a gardening newbie I figured you grow a plant until it's done.  But no, I've had this amazing supply of basil leaves.  If I had been more diligent about picking and didn't cram all my plants into 7 pots I'm sure I'd have even more.  Next year!

Here is the recipe, reprinted from an email to me from Helen Opie: (Helen also has a website, www.helenopie.com, but it seems to be down right now

"Pesto (base, without cheese)

 

Good as sandwich spread (with cheese & onion!), on potatoes,fish (dill!), spaghetti squash as well as pasta, in a salad dressing, or any other place you want a bit of herbaceous pleasure.

In a food processor or blender put:

2 c coarsely chopped basil leaves*

1 c olive oil or p'nut oil, NOT sunflower oil

2-3 Tb pine nuts OR walnuts, sunflower seeds,

or almonds (= thickener)

1 clove garlic (more if desired)

Black Pepper to taste (1/2 tsp or more)

* Other herbs can be used also: dill, parsley, cilantro, chervil, or a mixture.

If necessary, fill out scant herbs with spinach, up to 1/2 c or 1/4 recipe.

For better storage, mix in 1/4 c grated Parmesan + 1/4 c grated Sardo or

Romano cheeses when thawed and ready to use.  Or just grate cheese over the food.

Put in small jars to freeze for winter.  Will keep in a jar in the fridge if you keep eating

it so top layer is always removed (long) before it moulds. "

Blender full of pesto!

Ice cube tray #1 ready to freeze

I've made a double batch (sunflower seeds) and a triple batch (walnuts) so far, I think I prefer the walnut version.  I mixed the pesto in my blender, then taking Helen's advice for a space saving way to store pesto, I poured it into ice-cube trays which I then froze and popped into zip-loc bags to freeze. It's delicious!