My basil is just beautiful right now. It’s always a good idea to pinch back your basil during the summer months. Pinching off the blossoms will help keep the basil full and thick. When using your basil, always pinch the leaved from the top of the plant. Taking the large leaves from the bottom of the plant will not help promote thicker growth. If you don’t have a plethora of basil, you won’t be able to make and freeze batches of basil pesto for winter use.
I find that it’s best to use up basil right away. Basil isn’t fond of cold temperatures. The minute basil gets word of the temperatures dropping, it turns brown and dies. I have waiting too long to make pesto in years past because I love having it so available right outside my door. One night, unexpectedly the temperatures take a drop and I wake up to brown pesto. Now it’s too late to make my winter pesto.
This year I am determined to stay on top of the basil and make pesto early. It’s always worth the time and effort it takes when I want to freshen winter soups and pasta dishes.
Try my Basil Pesto recipe. As usual you will find step-by-step photo’s and instructions. I think you will love how bright and green the pesto remains from blanching the basil leaves quickly in boiling water.
Janet, look!! I finally got some amazing blood grapefruit and this is my version of your panna cotta with citrus compote: http://goo.gl/QRL9KJ
That could not look more perfect. Bravo! Looks delicious.
Hahahah, speaking about lost in translation!! The pesto always came out bright green, all of it! every single drop of it!! Oh, I'm laughing so badly that I'm crying, it´s time to go back to english lessons!!
Have a lovely day!
I think your english is amazing. You should hear my Spanish. So great to hear your pesto is always bright and beautiful.
Hi Janet!! Since the first time that I came to this blog I have made the pesto with your recipe. And every single time the pesto remained bright green until the last bit.
I'm also testing your crusty bread recipe with sourdough starter (I made it ten months ago from rye flour and whole grain wheat flour). In the firsts attempts the starter was way too young, so I let it grow the whole autumn and most of the winter. But last weekend I made the first acceptable loaf! It still needs a lot of sugar (like, 1/4 cup for a savory bread) to cope with the extreme sourness of the starter; but the smell was amazing. I'm thinking to send it to my cousin's home in the south for the holidays, so it incorporates new yeasts from those beautifull woods. I'm weird.
Have you tried to make bread with sourdough starter?
Love,
I would love to hear how your sourdough turns out. I'm fascinated with your sourdough experimentation with climate. I really need to play more with it. I had a sour dough start, but it was a milk start. I let it go…sadly. I have had a few comments on sourdough start in the crusty bread and they have all been very positive. I'm sorry your pesto hasn't been staying green. I wonder what the problem is. Always great to hear from you.
You basil and pesto look delicious! I've been growing and making pesto for years now and I find that it freezes well too. I also tend to throw whatever nuts I have on hand as well and at times even combine multiple kinds, whether it be pinenuts, walnuts, pecans, or almonds, I think it all tastes good. I enjoy your blog and I will have to try blanching the leaves as I have never done this before! Thanks for sharing!
Carrie – http://www.fashionableway.com
I have used different nuts as well. Thanks for posting a reminder. Thank you so much for your comment.
I love pesto and didn't know all the uses for it. I could put it on toast for breakfast. yumm
Cathy
I hope you try it. thanks for your comment.
Basil Pesto recipe link is not working for me.
The problem is fixed. I thought I had deleted that post for a minute…whew I figured it out. Thanks for letting me know.