Yes, it’s been a while … somehow my camera cable got misplaced (it was the cats, I swear!) and this sweltering summer has been both swelterier and busier than I would have imagined only a month ago. Not too strangely, indoor activities have been much more appealing lately. However, one of the major goals on my list, garden-wise, involved harvesting some of the copious organic big-leaf Italian basil in the backyard garden which, thankfully, has been thriving in the heat. (Since I learned that neat trick of pinching off the ends of each branch just above the stem junctures where new growth sprouts, I’ve been able to pluck leaves for meals without worrying about taking too much. The plants seem to love aggressive pruning and bush out into attractive globe shapes, bearing new leaves in droves instead of getting tall and straggly.) As you can see, the cullings were not too shabby.

While I usually dry a major portion of every year’s harvest for use in recipes during the winter, I also look forward to making one of my summer meal staples — pesto. Pesto is simple. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. You can make your own with just five ingredients: Basil, organic extra virgin olive oil, walnuts, Parmesan cheese and salt, balanced intuitively during preparation. I can’t stand the idea of buying pesto now that I know how easy it is to make it myself, and being able to control the salt, amount of oil and other ingredients means I get exactly the pesto I’m craving at the moment. It’s essential to taste as you go along, drizzling in a little olive oil here, dropping in a pinch of cheese there. A million variations exist based on these few elements. I definitely enjoy experimenting. Some people use garlic and consider it essential; I generally don’t, feeling that raw garlic can easily overwhelm the other flavors if the balance isn’t just right -- but pan-browned chopped garlic might be something to consider….

There's no specific ratio of ingredients I use, but my basic recipe goes
pretty much like this:

• A double-fistful of freshly picked basil leaves
• About 1/4 to 1/3 c. of oil (or more as needed)
• 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese (or more as needed)
• 1/2 c. walnuts (or more as needed)
• Small pinch of salt (I like Himalayan pink salt, but use whatever you prefer)

Add basil to processor, then a little oil. Whizz for a few seconds, then add nuts and cheese. Drizzle in a little more oil and whizz again. Repeat until you achieve your desired texture. Taste as you blend and adjust amounts of ingredients accordingly. (And yes, by all means do substitute and have fun adding in other ingredients, garlic included.) If the end result tastes awesome, you did it right.

Pinenuts are traditional in Italy but are extremely costly in the US and may not be widely available for everyone. (I also don’t trust packaged pinenuts that aren’t refrigerated; they go rancid very easily. Co-ops are great places to obtain the good ones; hopefully your local store will carry them in bulk.) No worries! Other nuts are equally tasty, if a little unconventional. It should go without saying that you can use different herbs besides basil as well. A version I was particularly happy with last year used cilantro instead of basil and replaced walnuts with pistachios. The color was a brilliant, almost glowing viridian and tasted amazing on top of grilled wild Alaskan salmon fillets. I’ve also tried hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds and peanuts. Each adds a flavor that’s distinct and delicious. So far I’ve preferred using hard cheeses, but there’s a chunk of aged Argentinian queso duro in my fridge, slightly softer than any of the usual aged Italian varieties, that I’ve got designs on for a future batch. I’ll let you know how that goes.

I process the pesto using a Braun hand-blender with the small cup attachment and make multiple batches, since it’s an old tool and I want to go easy on the motor. (Purists might argue that using a moon-shaped mezzaluna is the only way to go, but opinions vary. Also, I haven’t gotten around to investing in a good one yet.) Pesto textures change according to what I plan on doing with the finished product — chunkier for eating on crackers or for a sauce with pasta, smoother for smearing on bagels and toast for sandwiches, or applying to meats or other foods. This batch was moderately smooth since I envisioned it on a piece of fish or firm baked tofu, creating a nice coating. Because the basil came on late this year, this is the first large batch of the summer. I doubt any will make it to the freezer.

Below is the payoff for my efforts from the fresh basil pictured above; about half the bundle made this plastic containers'-worth (two separate batches, combined and stirred together). Look at all that gorgeous, glistening, nutty, cheesy, lusciously green yumminess … and more to come in the days ahead. Holy smokes, I’m rich!