It's hard for me to believe that we've talked about fresh herbs for ten Tuesdays already and yet I didn't get to basil until today. Perhaps that's because basil has been a staple in our garden for years. I can't imagine a summer without it. And what's a summer without a Caprese salad or two or three? If you're a die-hard Al Dente reader, you know that I ate aCaprese to die forjust a few days ago, made with fresh Mozzarella di Bufala, sun-warmed, homegrown tomatoes and basil straight from the herb garden. What a revelation!
What are you doing with basil?
If I have a lot of basil on hand, which rarely happens, I will make pesto. I like this Martha Stewart's recipe, which freezes well because it leaves out the Parmesan cheese. I've only made pesto with pine nuts, but these days I've begun to hear about it made with walnuts, almonds or pistachio nuts. And then there is pistou. You might say that pistou is a French pesto, made without nuts but with the addition of a tomato or tomato paste. Traditional Soupe au Pistou is a broth made with summer vegetables and served with a dollop of pistou. Have you tried it before?
--Tracy Schneider
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