Basil growing like weeds? Pesto baby pesto.

Due to the ridiculous heat wave this past week and the continued hot weather my basil has been growing out the back like friggin weeds. For a quick make ahead meal that decimates your basil population try making pesto. You can refrigerate the sauce or even freeze it if you don't add any milk or cream. This is a great meal for when you get home and you want to feed everyone within minutes. Just make sauce ahead of time so when you get home all you have to do is boil pasta and finish it in the sauce. Grill some chicken if you like to make it more substantial.

Software:
3 cups fresh basil leaves (you can add most fresh mild herbs here like oregano or parley)
1 1/2 cups of toasted Pine nuts (you can substitute almonds or walnuts here)
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (you can substitute Pecorino for a nuttier taste I prefer it)
1 cup olive oil
Half of a fresh squeezed lemon or 2 tablespoons of juice (I used Limoncello)
salt and pepper to taste
 
Pasta (Homemade is best)
 
Grilled chicken.

 
Hardware:
All-Clad Stainless 7-1/2-Inch French Skillet to toast Pine nuts
All Clad LTD2 7-Quart Pasta Pentola boil Pasta
All-Clad Stainless 12-Inch Fry Pan to finish pasta in sauce
Cuisinart DFP-14BCN 14-Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel
Global 5-1/2-Inch 14 cm Vegetable Knife
Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Square Grill Pan

I like to toast my pine nuts to bring out the warm oils of the nut. To do this start with a dry pot or pan and warm it up to medium low heat. Fill it with the nuts and toss every minute. DO NOT walk away as the oils can burn quickly. Keep a good eye on it and flip constantly. When the nuts start to brown and you start smelling the oil come to the surface of the nuts you can stop but don't leave them in the pan unless you plan on flipping them still. The residual heat form the pan is enough to burn the nuts and put off a bitter rancid taste.

 

Combine all of the above pesto ingredients into a food processor until its a grainy sauce to your preference. I like to add a little milk or cream to make it a creamy pesto. If you don't have lemons you don't need it but it add a refreshing acidity to the sauce. I used Limoncello don't knock it, it works.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the pesto for the chicken. Take chicken breasts or dark meat, SnP and marinate in the reserved pesto for 30 minutes to 12 hours. Grill each side for 3 minutes until meat is firm and the liquid from the chicken runs clear and free of blood. Set your chicken aside to rest.

Start your pasta by boiling salty water with Extra Virgin Olive oil (remember salty like the sea). Meanwhile heat up a skillet with your pesto on low heat. Boil pasta to Al dente, fresh pasta is even better.

Right before Al dente while the pasta finish it in the pesto sauce to Al dente. You can add some starchy water that pasta came from or some milk to loosen the sauce.

Slice up your chicken and place over your pasta, you can garnish with Pine nuts, Shaved Pecorino cheese, or Basil. No "NFGs" please (None Functioning Garnish).

For a easy fancy looking garnish here's my take on Parmesan Crisps.

Software:
Shaved Parmesan ( I used Pecorino same thing but sheep instead of cow)
Fresh Cracked pepper
1 Teaspoon of AP Flour

Hardware:
Oven
Baking sheet or jelly roll pan
Silicon Silpat or Parchment paper
Spray Oil

Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees. Mix off of the above in a bowl. Spray oil your Baking sheet and lay your Silpat or parchment paper on it.

Spray oil the Silpat or parchment paper. Grab a small handful of the mixture onto the sheet and smooth it out to a flat layer not too thin.

Stick the sheet into the oven for about 15 minutes until the cheese melts and browns.

Careful when you take it out of the oven the sheet and crisps are hot hot hot. For about 60 seconds they are soft and flexible so you can mold it into a shape if you want. Otherwise just let it cool for 5 minutes before removing and garnishing.

Enjoy for a quick meal. With Proper prep this meal can be made within 30 minutes. Eat that Rachel Ray.