I love pesto! Problem is, it costs plenty in the supermarket! Why not grow your own? Plant basil and parsley! EASY!
In Summer, I harvest the basil I have sown in Spring and make pesto with it. As Summer draws to a close and Autumn starts to show it’s chilly character, my basil starts to look worse for the wear and the cold snaps put an end to it’s abundant growth. That’s when I reach for it’s substitute herb, parsley. Parsley makes an equally delish pesto. Spread it on toast, with cheese, or on fresh bread with tomatoes and avocado for a great lunchtime treat. The great thing about parsley, is that you can grow it right through Autumn and Winter too.
Parsley or Basil Pesto
- 1 cup of Brazil nuts, ground in blender(walnuts or almonds)
- 2 cups parsley (or Basil, or a combo), chopped and then placed in blender
- 2-3 cloves garlic chopped and added (I use 2 massive ones for a more garlicky hit)
- 1/2 cup olive oil drizzled into mixture as you blend above ingredients together
- Salt to taste
- Finally, I add juice of half a lemon to add a little zing
The great thing about this recipe, is that it also freezes well, so if you have an excess of parsley or basil, you can freeze some for 2-3 weeks in a plastic jar. Pour a little olive oil over the top before freezing. Simply defrost for a morning before using. Another trick in winter is to add kale to the parsley pesto, it blends up well and you still have the pesto flavour with added nutritional bonus kale adds to the mix.
Blend away,
Cheers
Jizzy
