pesto

Basil In The Kitchen
Fresh garden tomatoes sliced and sprinkled with chopped basil and vinegar and oil are delicious. Basil mixes well with various egg and cheese dishes as well as fruit jams. In general, add fresh basil at the last moment, as cooking destroys the flavor quickly. When adding dried basil to a recipe that calls for fresh, substitute 1/3 the amount called for in the recipe.
My first thought of a basil recipe is pesto. I love pesto – mounded on angel-hair pasta and surrounded with fresh sliced Botanical Interests tomatoes, or spread on broiled fish or grilled chicken, or a baked potato, or a sauce for string beans or pizza, or…you get the idea. It’s great and easy and quick to make.
Pesto (1 cup) 3 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed2 large cloves of garlic1 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, finely grated Add all ingredients except the cheese to a blender or food processor. Blend until well processed. Beat in cheese just before serving.