Pesto is one of things things that you always want to have in your fridge. It keeps and freezes well, and you can use it on almost anything - from pasta sauce to chicken marinade, and then a sauce for meats.
Most international cuisines have some sort of pesto - a mixture of herb, garlic, and oil. There's gremolata, chimichurri, and of course, by far the most famous, the pesto classico - a gorgeous combination of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and then some good olive oil. Yum. Now that summer is here, my basil plant is a lot like my life right now - overflowing with abundance :)
Don't get me wrong - while the original is still the best, mixing it up here allows me to get creative, and also shows what a simple ingredient switch can make a dish completely different, but still delicious; somewhat of a deja vu.
Pine nuts tend to be ridiculously expensive, so this time, I chose to go with roasted almonds instead. You can actually use almost any kind of nut, but roasted nuts bring out a smokier flavor than the blah uncooked ones.
I made about 2 cups with this, and then had a bit leftover, which saved my life the next day, when I had to make dinner for 6 on 5 minutes notice.
That's another pasta recipe, but here's the pesto - there's only one secret to good pesto. Never ever use pre-grated Parmesan.
Almond Pesto
1 cup loosely packed Basil leaves
4 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup Roasted Almonds
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 ea Lemon, juiced
2/3 cup Good Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Makes about 2 cups
Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor
Process until roughly chopped
Gradually add olive oil in a stream until pesto is finely minced
Season with salt & pepper
Toss with pasta for a quick meal, serve hot or cold
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