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Seasonal Cuisine
If nature blessed you with an abundant garden crop of fresh basil then you, my friend, are in Fat City, for late summer, early autumn marks the perfect time to make pesto with all that garden fresh Basil. If you’re not a gardener most markets stock plenty of fresh basil at this time of year at reasonable prices.
Presto Pesto -- Basil Pesto with dry, chilled Rose wine
Mixed Green Magic
Here is what you’ll need for ingredients:
½ cup pine nuts
2 big bunches fresh basil, trim stems (I don’t like stems)
2 cloves garlic, crushed & quartered ( I prefer big ones)
½ teaspoon salt, (or more if you’re like me)
½ cup olive oil (or more as some of us less calorie conscious like it swimming in good extra virgin olive oil -- and then some of us (no names here) like to dilute the oil with water for fewer calories.)
¼ cup grated Parmesan Reggiano (or to taste - more oil, more cheese)
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (the pecorino has a bit more bite than the Parmesan – I sometimes use a ½ cup of Parmesan Reggiano and no Romano – it’s ok to play around with basic recipes)
Putting it all together:
Heat oven to 350. Toast the pine nuts on a lined baking sheet watching them very, very closely until they are very lightly browned – this should take 7 to ten minutes. I use a toaster oven and watch them like a hawk because they are no good if they brown too much.
In a food processor (a blender will do if you’re careful and light on the pulse) combine these ingredients: basil, garlic, salt, and pine nuts. Pulse the mixture until it is finely chopped.
Now the tricky part, with a light, steady touch and the processor running pour the oil in to the feed tube or blender in a steady stream till the mixture becomes a paste.
Presto! Transfer the pesto to a bowl using a soft spatula. Stir in the Parmesan and pecorino, serve hot over pasta or refrigerate and serve cold or at room temperature.
The pesto in the picture is served over Ronzoni # 10 Spaghetti which is the best dried pasta I’ve found. It has a good tooth cooked al dente 8 to 12 minutes depending on it’s mood or the weather -- taste at 8 minutes then cook to your liking.
Mixed Green Magic
Mixed Baby Mesclun Greens with sliced avocado, diced tomatoes, and chopped scallions with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
1 Tblspn Dijon mustard
2 Tblspn Balsamic vinegar
1 tspn maple syrup
Whisk together with salt and pepper to taste with a pinch of garlic powder until the mixture is emulsified.
4 Tblspn extra virgin olive oil drizzled in slowly and whisked maintaining the emulsified consistency.
Drizzle over individual salad plates to taste.
Now, plate it up, and break off a chunk of that Parmesan Reggiano to grate over your pesto, salt and ground pepper from the mill to taste, now pour a glass of cold Rose. Enjoy.
Viola. Bon Appetite.
Posted at September 23, 2007 10:31 AM