Pesto recipe wanted

[trojanrabbit]

For the second time this month our organic veg bag scheme (not yet got the lottie quite up to speed so it's a good alternative), has included a big bag ful of basil.
Since neither of us care for it as a salad leaf there is NO WAY we can possibly use it all up while it's fresh. ::)

SO. I was considering making pesto - anyone got a good recipe?

For that matter, has anybody ever tried freezing pesto?

cheers
Pete

[trojanrabbit]

[supersprout]

Try this rabbit:
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,72/topic,17813.0
:)

[Moggle]

Along the lines of recipes mentioned in that thread mine goes something like:

Roughly a handfull each of Basil, Pinenuts, and grated fresh parmesan, bung them in the processor bit of the hand blender with a bit of olive oil, whiz till smooth, adding salt and more olive oil if necessary.

For another suggestion to use up the basil - do you ever eat couscous? I make a nice couscous salad that is filling enough for a  (small) main meal (or lunch) with lemon juice and olive oil drizzled in to the 'cooked' couscous, then add chopped sun dried toms, olives, pinenuts/pistachios, and sometimes a bit of feta. Then add lots of chopped basil - yummy!

[Biscombe]

MMmmmmmm Moggie that sounds yummy!
I make pesto all the time! I'm growing mammoth basil from realseeds.co.uk and the leaves are huge and grow really quickly! I use whhat I have laying around! here goes;

Basil
Cream cheese of any hard cheese or both
Whatever nuts you have in the cupboard (cashew, brasil, pistacio almond) pine nuts are expensive!!
olive oil
salt

then wizz with a hand blender

no nonsense!! It's better with parmesan and pine nuts but a lot more expensive to make!!

[Hyacinth]

I freeze pesto, no probs 8)

[kippers garden]

Sorry to be really really thick...what do you use pesto for?

(I know this is really a stupid question as everyone seems to use it, but i daren't ask anyone else)

[Hyacinth]

well, you DID ask ;D

Look at this...

http://www.initaly.com/regions/liguria/sims.htm

but I'm sure that these peeps here  will come up with all sort of wonderful ways of using it?

And don't worry....I've gotta pluck up courage in a bit to ask about squash.... ::) :-[

Lish

[Moggle]

Sorry to be really really thick...what do you use pesto for?

Stirred in to pasta (no cooking required), drizzled on pizzas, in baguettes with sun dried tomato and mozarella, dolloped on tomato risotto, mixed through couscous, dolloped on to baked spud - just to name a few.

[thewoodle]

I have loads of rocket. -Way too much for us to eat before it goes bad / bolts. So I wanted to make rocket pesto, preferably to store, but all the recipies I look at say to keep in the fridge and not for all that long. Is there any way I can bottle it and keep in a cupboard? (I don't have space in the freezer either for all the courgette bread, courgette choc cake, soup, beans etc...)

Thanks!

[sweet-pea]

Try this, i know that it's getting a bit late in the season for strawberries, but this strawberry pesto is really good.

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2006/06/pesto_fraise_basilic.php

[STHLMgreen]

Sorry to be really really thick...what do you use pesto for?

Stirred in to pasta (no cooking required), drizzled on pizzas, in baguettes with sun dried tomato and mozarella, dolloped on tomato risotto, mixed through couscous, dolloped on to baked spud - just to name a few.

I also use pesto in cous cous and in several of these ways.

A new favourite though is on fish... dollop some pesto and oil over fish and bake for the regular time.

Absolutely delicious.

[STHLMgreen]

I also put parsley in my pesto, and have also added thyme, just whatever I had growing at the moment. I just make sure there is a little more basil than the other herbs I put in. Makes for good variations.

[daisymay]

have you thought of basil oil?

blitz some basil with a bottle of olive oil, then pour back into bottle. use it as salad dressing, fry onions etc.. in it as base for soups, pasta dishes etc......