Pesto From The Garden Recipes

GARLIC SCAPE PESTO

Steps:

• Blend the garlic scapes, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper together in a food processor until smooth.

CRUNCHY LEMON-PESTO GARDEN SALAD

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together the first 6 ingredients until blended. In another bowl, combine squash, cucumbers, peas, Parmesan and green onions. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Top with bacon to serve.

PESTO

Steps:

• Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

GARDEN HERB PESTO

Steps:

• Put the herbs, crème fraîche and Parmesan in a food processor and whizz together. Add the pine nuts and pulse so they are just a little chopped. Season really, really well, then divide what you want to freeze between ice cube trays using a couple of teaspoons. Wrap in cling film and freeze.
• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain, then stir in fresh pesto. If using the frozen cubes, pop 1-2 pesto ice cubes per person into the pasta pan. Tip the drained pasta back on top, put the lid on and leave for 10 mins. Stir the melted pesto into the pasta, then serve topped with more Parmesan, a few pine nuts and extra herbs, if you like.

GARDEN PESTO

Steps:

• Purists say that pesto should be made by pounding the ingredients together using a mortar and pestle. For this recipe, you can certainly do that, starting by crushing the nasturtium leaves, mint leaves (if using), garlic, nasturtium pods, and nuts, then adding the cheese, followed by the lemon juice and oil. Pound until well blended, folding in the marigold petals and salt at the very end.
• Then again, you can do as I do and simply whiz everything (except the marigold petals and salt) in a food processor for a couple of minutes until you have a soft, well-blended mixture. Remove from the processor and fold in the petals and salt.
• Either way, spoon the pesto into small, sterilized jars (see p. 21) and pour a little oil over the surface to exclude any air. Cap with metal lids (see p. 22). Store in the fridge and use within 1 month. If you are making a lot of pesto, pack in small containers and freeze.
• When you come to use the pesto, stir it well before spooning out. Make sure the surface of any pesto remaining in the jar is completely covered with oil before you return it to the fridge (this is very important if it is to keep well).
• Traditionally, pesto is made with the leaves of the sweet basil plant (Ocimum basilicum). If you manage to grow it in good quantities, do make use of it in this recipe. Alternatively, try some other herbs as the base for your pesto. Young, raw nettle tops and wild garlic leaves (both to be gathered in early spring) work beautifully together; parsley (flat-leaf or curly) also works well. Hazels or walnuts can stand in for pine nuts, and a mature, robust Cheddar is a good alternative to Parmesan.
• Calendula officinalis, or common garden marigold, is a really useful herb and should not be ignored for culinary purposes. The golden pigment of the petals can be used, like saffron, to color rice, cakes, desserts, and butter. Alternatively, sprinkle the bittersweet, aromatic petals over mixed salad greens, or toss a few into a fresh herb omelet.

PESTO FROM THE GARDEN

Steps:

• Put basil into mini processor, a cup at a time, pushing down as needed, until smooth.
• Add pepper, pecans, garlic, and salt. Process some more.
• Add oil a little at a time and process until consistancy of whipped butter.
• Add the cheese and process again.
• Pack into sterile jars and top with thin layer of olive oil.
• Refrigerate, then enjoy!

QUICK PESTO

Steps:

• With food processor running, drop in garlic and finely chop. Stop motor and add nuts, cheese, salt, pepper, and basil, then process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil, blending until incorporated. Editor's note: This recipe was originally published in the September 2002 issue of 'Gourmet' and first appeared on Epicurious in August 2004.

HERB GARDEN PESTO

Steps:

• In a mortar and pestle, mashgarlic with salt; pound herbsto a paste, and stir in cheeseand oil. (In a food processor,double the recipe and pulse.)

THE BEST CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Pulse basil and garlic in a food processor about 8 times until finely chopped. Add toasted pine nuts and salt; turn processor on low and drizzle olive oil through the chute until everything is incorporated. Add Parmesan cheese and lemon juice; pulse 2 times.

PESTO GARDEN PASTA FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Add the basil, olive oil, Parmesan, almond butter, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
• Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
• Drain and transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl.
• Add the grape tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, red onion, and mozzarella balls to the pasta.
• Pour the pesto sauce over the pasta.
• Toss the ingredients together.
• Serve warm in a bowl.
• Enjoy! Adapted from The Minimalist Kitchen by Melissa Coleman. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

BASIC PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil leaves, pine nuts or walnuts and garlic in a food processor and process until very finely minced.
• With the machine running slowly dribble in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth.
• Add the cheese and process very briefly, just long enough to combine. Store in refrigerator or freezer.