The Sweet Smell of Basil

My freezer is never as full as in summer and the main cause of this is a multitude of different sized containers full of of Basil Pesto. Basil loves the warmer temperatures and the moment my tomatoes go in, so does the basil. Planting it too early has seen some plants die as they really don't enjoy the cold. Last year, when I realised this, I managed to save a few seedlings by cutting the tops and bottoms from plastic drink containers and placing them around the plants to give more warmth.

The young basil plants are also a magnet for slugs and snails so I crush eggshells and place a protective ring around them - not pleasant for the slippery creatures to get across! Sawdust should do a similar job although I am not sure how beneficial it is in the garden. When we first put our raised beds in, we surrounded them with sawdust but the minuscule 'neat' part of my personality couldn't stand how it was tramped through the house and onto paths. It did keep the snails at bay but nowadays I find keep a vigilant eye does just as well.

I have read that basil repels flies and mosquitoes so that might explain my lack of bites in the evening. Think about planting in a pot and having near entertainment areas (as long as it gets plenty of daily sun).

As the basil grows, pinch out any flowers in order to promote growth and once you have a few cupfuls of leaves, it is time to make pesto. Cut the stems regularly and the plants will continue to grow throughout summer and you will have a steady supply for the recipe below!

 Basil Pesto

Picked, ready to wash, de-stalk and spin dry.

2 cups fairly tightly packed basil leaves
1 cup good quality olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1 cup grated parmesan

( In order to make this economical, I leave out the pine nuts that usually go in pesto as they are quite expensive.)

In a food processor, finely chop the basil leaves and garlic. Then add the cheese and oil and buzz it again. I find that sometimes I use less or more oil depending on the quantity of leaves and whether I wish to use the pesto as a dip, spread or sauce. Mostly we use it as a sauce for pasta or zucchini spirals but it can be spread on biscuits and toast, used as a dip, spread over chicken before baking, drizzled warm over cooked vegetables or used in recipes that ask for pesto. I freeze mine for up to six months in small quantities.

Processed and ready to spoon into containers.

A double batch all ready to seal and freeze.