An easy way to keep the flavors of summer basil all year long.
- 3 - 4 large cloves of garlic
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan
- 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
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Start with a heavy, preferably cast iron, skillet. Heat it, dry, over high heat for about 3 to 5 minutes. Drop the nuts into the pan and shake it.
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Lay it back on the burner for a second or two and shake again. Repeat until the nuts are golden. If you are using a gas range, you can simply shake over the flames without setting it back on the burner.
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As soon as they are brown and fragrant, remove them to a bowl and set aside.
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Place the pine nuts and garlic in the food processor bowl fitted with a blade. Pulse one or twice to start breaking it up.
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Next, put in the basil, lemon juice and parmesan and process until its chopped up fine.
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With the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil and process until its smooth.
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You can use the pesto immediately on pasta, vegetables, chicken - whatever sounds good to you. It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
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To freeze the pesto, I like to use ice cube trays. Measure yours to be sure, but a cube in a standard tray is two tablespoons. Put the pesto into the tray and freeze for at least six hours. It won't be hard frozen because oil does not freeze.
Once it's frozen, take them out and store them in a ziplock freezer bag. Be sure it is for the freezer and not just storage. The cubes will keep in the freezer for about 5 or 6 months.
You can take out what you need when you need it. Just pull out a cube or two and thaw!