Fresh Basil Walnut Pesto

There’s not much to write about this post.  I mean it’s not real ‘glamourous.’  It’s nothing that takes a high level of culinary skill.  Here’s what I can tell you about it:

1.  I have an herb garden with a lot of fresh basil.

2.  I harvested this basil, put it in water, enjoyed it on my kitchen counter for a couple of days, and then decided I needed to use it…well, for something.

3.  I made roasted basil chips.  They were way too strong in taste.  So, I crushed them all up and now they’re like an herb.

4.  I made pesto.  We enjoyed it that day.  I froze a bunch of the pesto.  It’ll be great come winter!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makes:  About 2 cups of pesto

 

 

 

 

 

 

What you need:

2 cups walnuts

6-8 cups fresh basil

6 garlic cloves

¾ cup olive oil

3 tbl lemon juice

1 tbl lemon zest

½ tsp sea salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp red chili pepper flakes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What you do:

In a food processor, grind the walnuts.  Add the basil a cup or two at a time and pulse.  Add the garlic cloves and about half of the olive oil and pulse.  The mixture will become very thick.  Add the lemon juice, zest, salt, pepper, pepper flakes and remaining olive oil and pulse.

Remove and chill for about an hour.  This will keep well refrigerated for about a week.  You can also freeze this pesto sauce.  The ways to use it are endless—just don’t brush your teeth with it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©2012 Alice D’Antoni Phillips    Ally’s Kitchen