Giving thanks to God and CathyZ for Blender Pesto

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Last night--for the first time EVER--I got to walk outside and pick enough basil to make a small batch of pesto.

I felt One with Mother Earth.

Then a fire ant bite my foot.

Then I muttered a low oath at Mother Earth about irresponsible offspring, scurried inside to my ant-free kitchen and wizzed up a batch. Followed Joe's and Marg's hints about adding the cheese, nuts and butter at the end. Tossed it with soba noodles served on the side of caramelized scallops with rosemary butter. Added more pesto on fresh tomatoes, but the bland tomato wasn't worth wasting it.

It took 1.5 months for the seeds to start, but now the basil in increasing by an inch a day. I'm going to freeze the next batch.

Thanks for sharing!

http://eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=5287

 
Had some myself last night, Marilyn. Only my basil was not out of my own garden.

When you grow it yourself the pesto is so much better! Congratulations!

I had pizza dough in the freezer so out it came.
I had a good red sauce with chicken and sausage, chunks of mushrooms, peppers, olives, onion and garlic leftover from a pasta dish I made the day before. Out it came.
I had fresh mozzerella in the fridge. Out it came.
Then there was the pesto. Out it came too.

I let the dough thaw and rise then made a thin crust. On went the sauce then I dropped bits of pesto all over the top and sort of blended it in. On went the mozzerella then I sprinkled some parmesan over all and in it went into a very hot oven on a pizza stone. I think it took all of 6 minutes to make the pizza starting with the lump of dough. Took 20 min to bake and hardly any minutes to eat.

Delicious. The pesto made it so.

 
I've made this recipe since forever and oddly, do just the same as Cathy, because it's the one I

freeze. Back in the olden days (25 years ago) my basil used to be 5' high and so abundant, I always made too much.

Boy those days are gone. Now I have slugs and 2 leaves per plant.

What we like this pesto on most is bucatini, with green beans and potatoes. H's favourite pasta. (Ligurian)

 
A quick little way to use pesto as well...home made is best.. Take a couple tomotoes.....

whatever size vine/cherry (dont use those big tasteless tomatoes, not worth it) and slice in half or chop the tops off.
Place them in a bowl where they fit quite tightly.
Top with pesto....pop them into the microwave for however long you need to make the tomatoes soft but still hold their shape.
(I often just core them and scoup out some of the seeds.)

Ah! even if you have over done them this is delicious on/with anything.

I have made my pesto in the blender forever.
Garlic and some oil first.
Leaves next and then toasted nuts last and lastly the cheese which (I previously whizzed/grated) never use butter, only adding more oil to get the consistency right.

I like the 'crunch' of the cheese and nuts, not that it is crunchy.

I have found that the leaves should be washed and Dried off first....best to have dry rather than damp leaves to start.

I make the pesto fairly thick and pop it into smallish jars topped with a little extra olive oil...then if I need a thick pesto I use as is but if I need it thin I add more oil.

I also freeze this thicker pesto in sandwich bags - flat- so that it is easy to break off just how much I want to use.

I make pesto with either toasted walnuts, pine nuts, almonds or macadamia nuts......
Fresh parmesan, pecorino or the P/Reggiano one. Even made it with Emantal and Parmesan which was a bit different.....You can tell we love pesto.

It is rather an expensive project for me as I always have so much basil to use up so I cant make just a small amount, but then I have enough to give away...usually as a hostess gift.

 
Hi Marg, the best thing for slugs is iron phosphate--pretty much harmless to anything but mollusks.

A common brand is "sluggo," but other brands are cheaper.

It's not exactly poison. Slugs eat it and then don't eat your plants, so they starve to death. Check your plants to make sure the slugs aren't hiding on them, then sprinkle iron phosphate around the plant. Slugs hiding in the soil will come upon it first before heading for your basil.

Death to gastropods!

 
I'm checking on this this week. Slugs are in the ground?? Is that why they multiply beyond sight?

I've been putting coffee grounds down around my sensitive plants but I know I need more help.

Thanks June.

 
They'll disappear into the soil during the day and emerge at night for feasting. I think they

lay eggs underground.

If you only have a few plants, try going out after dusk with a flashlight (I actually use a headlamp to free up both hands), and pick the critters off your plants. After several nights, you'll notice a difference. One way to dispose of the slugs is to throw them into a container of soapy water or diluted ammonia. This can then be poured at the base of a tree or shrub for fertilizer. Don't use it on small plants like basil, though.

 
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