Friday, 27 February 2015

Today's Garden Goodness & Basil Pesto

Today is clean up day and part of my tidy is pruning the roses, picking the weeds and sweeping the patio.  It is a 'cool' 28 degrees with a nice breeze so I have managed to get quite a bit done.  

My tomatoes and corn are completely finished.  I managed to produce 8 full sized ears of corn and about another 6 baby corn for a stir-fry.  The tomatoes were really abundant and we enjoyed colourful bowlful after bowlful.  Now all that is left is my chilli peppers and a few mixed herbs.  I couldn't resist letting a few of my chives go to flower as they are so pretty.  I think we can safely enjoy these in our mashed potatoes and potato salads for a bit longer.

I cut back all my basil and made pesto for the freezer and it looks like I will have a second blush to make a bit more.  Yum!  Pesto is pretty easy to make.  I don't follow a recipe.  I just whiz up what I have but usually include:

  • a bunch of basil
  • the juice of 1-2 lemons
  • the zest of 1-2 lemons
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • a bunch of green onions
  • a healthy glug of olive oil - enough to make it a runny consistency
  • walnuts or pine nuts (optional)


I leave the Parmesan cheese out as I am allergic to dairy but this can be added back in to individual dishes if some hold the cheese and some don't.  Whiz the ingredients up in a blender or food processor and adjust seasonings to taste.   Pesto can be frozen in ice cube trays to pop out when you need it or refrigerated in a sterilized jar for up to a couple of weeks.  The kids love it on zucchini noodles; as a marinade for chicken or fish; or stirred into pasta with some cherry tomatoes for school lunches.

No comments:

Post a Comment