The amount of basil I have in the garden is formidable; every year I start out worrying that we won’t have enough and then end up with a forest. I knew it was time to make headway on harvesting the plants, so I pulled off enough leaves to make a double batch of pesto. I used four cups of basil leaves (washed), a cup of shredded parmesan, and a little more than a cup of olive oil. Pine nuts are a delicacy I can’t afford, and I have a secret fear of that pine nut disease that leaves a metallic taste in your throat for weeks, so I substituted two-thirds of a cup of walnuts. I might have preferred a more assertive flavor, or maybe I want to spoon up the pesto in large portions, like salsa, instead of coating it on pasta noodles and tasting it in the background. To end on a happy note, I cooked the zucchini perfectly: sautéed in a cast-iron skillet until it was soft but hadn’t yet acquired a toasted brown color from the oil; and I finally think I might enjoy eating zucchini when it isn’t part of something I baked.
(Photo: Outside the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Oaxaca.)
365 Days of Food 