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PESTO RECIPES - 9 Different Styles and 10 Ideas
Basic Pesto:
Remove leaves from a large bunch of fresh basil, wash and dry them thoroughly. Place leaves in mortar with 2 peeled cloves of garlic, 1/4-cup pine nuts and a pinch of salt. With the pestle, pound and grind into a paste. Add 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese, and continue grinding to a smoothly blended paste. Stir in 1/4-cup medium dark olive oil. This will make enough sauce for 4-6 servings of pasta. Basic
Pesto2: Blend together about a cup of finely (hand) shredded basil with garlic (to taste), ¼ cup ground pine nuts and 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese with a high quality extra virgin cold pressed olive oil so it will be thick, pack it into small sterilize jars. Cover with a layer of pure oil before you seal the lids. Store the pesto at coldest part of your refrigerator or in the freezer. It will keep for up to a year, but the garlic flavor gets paler. Pesto can be made white (using artichoke hearts) or red (using sun-dried tomatoes), and can be made in small batches for quick use as seasoning. Genoese Basil Sauce:
To make the pesto in a processor or blender, blend a large bunch of basil leaves (app. 2 oz.), 3 Tbsp. pine nuts (lightly toasted), 2-4 cloves of garlic (crushed), and 4 fluid oz. virgin olive oil to a smooth paste, then stir in 3 Tbsp. grated fresh Parmesan and 2 Tbsp. grated fresh pecorino. This will sauce a pound of thin pasta (e.g. trenette, fettuccine or linguine).
Gourmet Pesto Sauce:
In a mortar mix 3 garlic cloves (chopped), 2 Tbsp. minced sweet basil leaves, 2 Tbsp. grated cheese, and 1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts and 1/4 tsp. salt. Pound the mixture with a pestle to a smooth paste. Still pounding, gradually add about 3 T olive oil, and work the mixture thoroughly to make a smooth paste.
Light Pesto Sauce:
Mash 1/2-cup fresh basil leaves (loosely packed) with 3 cloves of garlic in food processor or blender. Add 3/4 cup boiling chicken broth (fat skimmed), 4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Blend thoroughly. Mint Pesto for Lamb:
Puree 2 cups (packed) fresh mint leaves, 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice,
4 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper.
Spread on lamb before roasting or grilling and as a side dish for
dipping instead of mint jelly.
Old World Pesto:
Pound 2 chopped cloves garlic, 1/4 cup shredded basil leaves, 1 oz. pine nuts or walnuts and 1/2 tsp. salt together in a mortar. Gradually add 4 oz. grated Parmesan, pecorino or Sardinian Sardo (or combination thereof) alternately with 6 Tbsp of olive oil until you have a thick creamy paste.
Olive Anchovy Pesto:
Blend together to make a paste: Olive oil, Kalamata olives (pitted and
crushed), Anchovy paste, Capers, Garlic, Parmesan and Romano and balsamic vinegar.
Thai Basil Pesto:
1/2 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
1 serrano chile, seeded (reserve half of the seeds), chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1 cup Thai basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
Process the dry-roasted peanuts in a food processor until very finely chopped, add. Be careful not to process too long, or they will turn into peanut butter. Add the chile, ginger, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and salt and continue to process until the mixture is smooth.
With the food processor running, add the peanut oil in a slow, steady stream until it is blended well. Add the fresh basil and mint leaves and pulse until finely chopped and blended in. Taste and adjust the seasoning and acidity. Makes a little more than 1 cup. Works well on grilled fish, chicken and other light meats, or as a sandwich spread.
Gala's
Note: Stir a spoonful into minestrone soup, mayonnaise, salad dressing, and vinegar,
for the top of toasts, vegetables or barbequed poultry and meats. Here´s
some ideas: 1. Stir together 2 pounds shrimp and 1/3 cup pesto. Thread shrimp onto skewers and grill.
2. Spread pesto on tops of rolls before baking them or brush over rolled-out bread dough and roll
up, cut like cinnamon rolls and bake.
3. Toss cut-up, cooked potatoes and green beans with pesto.
4. Pesto-Stuffed Mushrooms: In food processor, combine 1/4 cup pesto, 1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon olive oil; process until smooth. Remove stems from 12 mushrooms; place, gill side up, on baking sheet. Top with pesto mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Broil 3 to 5 minutes or until pesto is browned.
5. Use as a sauce on pizza dough.
6. Spread over garlic bread before baking.
7. For a spread for crackers or bread, stir pesto into soft goat cheese.
8. Fold a bit of unsweetened whipped cream into pesto for extra creaminess before tossing with pasta. Or stir a little of the pasta cooking water into pesto for extra sauciness. |
