Fabulous pesto!

Pesto adds to many dishes. The classic pesto, of course, consists of sweet basil, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, pine nuts and garlic. Talk about versatile! This wonderful condiment punches up everything from omelets to chicken to pasta.

• Add a teaspoon or so to scrambled eggs to add flavor and nutrients
• Top cooked chicken with a couple of teaspoons – let sit a few minutes before serving
• Serve with mini-toasts or baguette pieces as an appetizer
• Cook the pasta of your choice and toss with pesto. Add chicken and tomatoes if you prefer.
• Freeze pesto in old fashioned ice cube trays. Store cubes in the freezer bags – each cube serves as a single portion for cooking throughout the winter!

This recipe is so easy to make – all you need are the ingredients, a food processor or blender and some storage containers.

Classic Pesto Recipe

2 cups fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese*

3 garlic cloves, minced (4 if small)

1/2 cup olive oil

*You can substitute Asiago or Romano cheese for sharper taste.

Blend basil leaves in food processor fitted with standard blade. Add pine nuts, cheese and garlic in the order listed until a thick paste forms. Add olive oil to the processor by drizzling in steady stream to mix through. Scrape sides as needed. Pesto should be the consistency of a smooth paste. Cover and keep refrigerated, will last up to five days.

Other variations

Pesto can be made in countless variations. Create your own!

If you prefer less cheese, scale back to 1/2 cup of cheese and add more nuts (1/2 cup of nuts compared to the previous 2 tablespoons.

Try making a cilantro pesto with cilantro, pecans, Asiago cheese, garlic, olive oil and a teaspoon of lime juice. Use the proportions & method above. Although she bought the cilantro pesto, my friend Diane recently served cilantro pesto this way: wrap the pesto and salmon with cedar paper soaked in water and grill. (Whole Foods carries cedar paper.) Wow! Thanks Diane!

If you use the sharper cheeses like asiago or Romano with the basil, pair it with a stronger meat to stand up to the taste: thanks my good friend Carter, here’s a terrific steak version: grill or broil a steak. Top with the Asiago/Parmesan pesto. Place in a warmer or under a broiler just until the pesto starts to bubble, then brown on top of the steak. MMM! He suggests a stronger wine, like Shiraz, as the perfect choice for this meal.

This suggestion is from Colin Cowie’s fabulous book Effortless Elegance: “puree oil-cured black olives and extra virgin olive oil for a quick and easy ‘pesto.'” Another suggestion: “Puree artichoke hearts with garlic, pine nuts, and extra virgin olive oil.”  (Great book by the way. Everything I’ve ever made from it is fabulous!)