Pesto question and a recipe

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dawnnys

Well-known member
This morning I made pesto from my huge crop (yay!) and it immediately turned black. I tried this other years, but I was careful not to let the basil oxidize this time, I thought!

I chopped up the basil leaves (bright green) in a small food processor and immediately added olive oil, garlic, walnuts (cold, not toasted this time as I thought maybe the heat last time turned it black), and Parmesan cheese. As SOON as I finished (about a minute later), the whole concoction was black. Not like the pretty bright green it is in the jars. Didn't bother to put a layer of oil over the top this time, since it had already discolored.

Any suggestions if I try this again (probably will). Thanks! Below is a recipe that I've had before and will definitely by making again with leftover chicken this weekend. It's great!!

Of course I tweaked. Original recipe was for parsley pesto, but I just made basil pesto this a.m., so...

from www.wholeliving.com

4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch wedges

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon chopped garlic (about 1 small clove)

1/2 cup raw walnuts, toasted

Grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, until golden and tender, 23 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Pulse parsley, garlic, walnuts, zest, and lemon juice in a food processor until (smooth). Drizzle remaining 6 tablespoons oil and process until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Top roasted sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons pesto (and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.).

 
I never chop the leaves ahead. I tear only the big ones but it all gets chopped with the oil around

it all. I've never ever had this black problem. How discouraging.

Even when I've made huge whacks of pesto, I still always use oil to submerge the leaves before chopping. Oxygen has a lot of power over food.

I would imagine that the oil protects them and they don't have the opportunity to blacken when they are chopped.

 
Well, Ferran (el Bulli) and I were just sitting around chatting and here's what he does

1. Destem the basil leaves
2. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil
3. Add basil and boil for 5 seconds.
4. Remove to a sieve and when cool enough, squeeze out excess.

He also blanches the garlic cloves, but in this case, he adds the cut cloves to cold water and brings that to a boil. Then removes to ice water.

 
REc: Basil pesto as made by Marco - at his dinner table in Lerici, Italy.

have ever had. So I learned to make Pesto at their dinner table in a mortar and pestle which is really one of the important points I think.
Also in guacomole it is better to use m & P.

Basil pesto from Marco - This is Genovese pesto as they live in Lerici near LaSpezia

Put in salt - it should be a thick salt - about a tsp. { my kosher salt was a bit too thick when I made it here but sea salt would be too fine}
Put in 2 cloves of garlic ( I chopped mine before) and begin to mush them as below.
Add 30 basil leaves and begin a circular motion-
not an up and down squashing. It takes time but the basil begins to be crushed. Add a bit of olive oil, continue. Add olive oil as needed when adding the remaining ingredients. Add a very small handful of pine nuts, continue. Add about a 1/2 cup of Parmesean and 1/2 cup of Porchino. Keep moving until it is
all blended in.
It was delicious -- I keep mine about a week in
the refrigerator and never saw black.

 
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