Walnut Basil Pesto

When it’s over, it’s over.  We can only cheat winter for so long.

I was hoping to dodge the frost bullet this past weekend.  I took a chance that my last basil plant would make it through the weekend, but it didn’t.

I had plans for a big pesto making session when I got back to town, but this past weekend’s cold snap changed those plans for me.

Maybe someone will have some armloads of cheap basil at the last farmer’s market of the season and I’ll still get a chance at making some.  If any of you in warmer climates still have basil in your plots, make some pesto and freeze it.  Before I had a vacuum sealer I’d put big scoops of it on cookie sheets and freeze it individually.  Then I put two dozen frozen glops of summertime into a freezer bag and enjoyed all winter long.  I use the vacuum sealer now and my freezer doesn’t smell like pesto.  A friend uses a jar of tomato puree and a quarter cup of frozen pesto to make a quick pasta sauce that is delicious.

And there is no sense in buying expensive pine nuts for pesto.  Walnuts are in season and work very nicely in pesto recipes.  One added bonus is the fact that walnuts are one of the healthiest nuts to be found.

Basil and Walnut Pesto

Ingredients:

For every 1 cup of packed fresh basil leaves,

• 1 clove garlic
• 1/8 c. chopped walnuts
• 1/3 c. olive oil
• ¼ c. Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine the basil, garlic, walnuts, and cheese in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
2. Add the oil and process until all ingredients and finely chopped and fully incorporated.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Freeze.