It’s the bomb

I’m still working on food for Sunday’s Oscars.  Red Carpet Chicken - check.  Next on the agenda?  Pesto.  Now, I’m going to tell you something – I had never tasted pesto until . . . maybe three months ago?  Yup.  It’s true.  I was a non-believer.  It looked awful green to me and we all know how I feel about green food.  But, I’ve started on a journey to broaden my horizons by challenging my taste buds, and there’s no turning back now.  So, I decided I’d try a little pesto.  And.  I. was. HOOKED.

I do love garlic, olive oil, and basil.  Actually, I really love Italian food, so it didn’t come as much of a suprise that I was completely into pesto.  The first time I tried it I went for the jarred kind (which, obviously, wasn’t half bad).  But, like any good cook will do, as soon as I realized I loved a food, I set out to make it my own.  To make it better.  To conquer pesto. 

So, I started whizzing away with my food processor.  It didn’t take me long to figure out, homemade pesto is some pretty powerful stuff.  Wowza.  For a long time, I wasn’t very happy with my results, and although they were more than edible, I felt like I needed a gas mask and a sign to go around my neck saying “Caution.  Garlic Cloud.”  I mean, my friends were all like “No offense, ya know, but would you like some gum?”  And I was like “Nah!  You want some pesto?  This shit’s the bomb!”

Then I got the great idea to tame it with some cream cheese.  Which I know isn’t very authentic, but it really did make it more . . . approachable, if you catch my meaning.  Well, at the very least, it made me more approachable, which everyone was, and still is, thankful for.  Now if I would just quit saying “The Bomb” they’d really be pleased. 

You need a good strong blender or a food processor to make this recipe.  I have a mediocre but sturdy Toshiba food processor that I bought at a second hand store.  My dream processor is the 14-Cup Cuisinart Stainless Steel model (check it out at Amazon), but my old Toshiba will do the trick.  So, I’m not saying you need expensive equipment to make this, just the right equipment.  

Now, pesto is very much a “taste it and add stuff until you like it” kind of recipe.  If you like it strong you can add more garlic.  If you like it milder, add less garlic, and you can add up to 4 ounces of cream cheese before you really start to compromise the flavor.

In my next post I’ll talk about what I’m going to do with this pesto, but first things first.  Here goes.

Basil Pesto

1 1/2 cup fresh basil, packed (I like to use the leaves, mainly)
3-5 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 to 4 ounces cream cheese

Place pine nuts in a small baking dish in a single layer and toast in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned.  Cool.

Remove the majority of the stems from the basil and measure them by packing them into the measuring cup.

Lightly press garlic with the knife and remove the papery skin.

Place basil, garlic, cooled pine nuts, and parmesan cheese into food processor bowl (or blender).

Begin to process slowly, adding first the lemon juice, then the olive oil.  Stop to scrape down the sides, then increase the speed to medium continuing until the mixture is fully emulsified (the basil and garlic should be suspended in the olive oil).

Taste the pesto.  Depending on the tanginess, begin to add cream cheese 1 tablespoon at a time, processing after each addition.  Taste and continue to add cream cheese a small amount at a time until you achieve the desired flavor and strength.

Store pesto in a covered container in the fridge for up to about 3 days.  You can also freeze the pesto to use at a later date.

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