Pesto is a beautiful thing, big rich flavors. I use a lot of different greens, even carrot or radish tops, spinach and other greens along with the basil and other herbs. Garlic, oil, nuts, and plenty of Parmesan!
And then I freeze it ….. yup, you heard me, I freeze it. Just on it’s own with a splash of pasta cooking water and a easy pasta lunch. Add some chicken and veg a tasty pasta dinner. Like instant food, but real food.
Start with a mess of greens. This time I have spinach, parsley, and basil. This is my usual base, but if I had radish or carrot tops I would use those too. I sort my spinach (link). Put some pasta water on you gonna want some of this. Remove the leaves from the fresh basil. Set the stems aside, do not discard. Put the basil leaves into a blender cup. A cup of herbs plus the spinach – this is very flavorful. Add a handful of spinach leaves and a bunch of parsley leaves – trim the parsley stems and set aside with the basil stems. Pack it in. Peel 6-8 good sized garlic cloves.
Grate a good 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan.A cup of walnuts. 2/3 cup olive oil to start. You may need more depending on the density of the greens. I like to make this freezer pesto a bit thick, then thin it with pasta cooking water. Blend it all together. Might need to make in batches if you have a lot of greens. This is a good way to have greens available in a pinch. Place a dollop – 1/4 cup in the bottom of a pasta bowl. Bring in the spaghetti wet. Don’t drain the pasta that starchy water helps bring the sauce together. Bright from the herbs, salty and creamy from the parm and olive oil, deep flavor from the garlic. Just really a perfect quick lunch. How pretty is that! Get some snack size bags and a 1/4 cup measure. Bag it up in single servings. Seven more lunches in the freezer.
I have always cooked, I was that person who could make a meal from an empty fridge. I have lived alone and with large and small families, I have cooked for camps on wood stoves, and in professional kitchens. I have lived and worked all over the west from Montana, to Seattle to Arizona to San Diego. I have traveled, maybe not 'all over the world', yet, and have collected tastes recipes and techniques everywhere, and every one I meet.
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