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Bite Of Minnesota: Basil Pistachio Pesto

My garden is growing fast and I'm amazed at how big my tomato and pepper plants have gotten over the last few weeks.

My herbs have shot up too and taken over their containers, causing me to be more diligent about harvesting the leaves for things like basil-mint water, dried herbs, and sauces. After picking up a recent salad share from Burning River Farm, I found that I had a ton of basil that just couldn't go to waste.

What's a person to do who has too much basil? Make pesto!

Instead of using pine nuts, I threw in pistachios (mostly so I'd stop eating them by the handful), and the result was nutty, salty, and craveable. Spread on sandwich bread along with goat cheese, salami, and arugula made for a quick lunch and I found that mixing some pesto with olive oil, and balsamic made an excellent grilled veggie topping.

I'll be bringing a batch of pesto with me to my Fourth of July parties to spread on burgers, hot dogs, and grilled veggies. Heck, mix it with some sour cream for an herby chip dip. Just make sure to check your teeth afterwards.

Basil Pistachio Pesto

2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1⁄3 cup pistachios, shelled
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
¼ - ½ cup olive oil, as needed
Salt and pepper, as needed

In a food processor, combine basil, Parmesan cheese, pistachios, and garlic cloves. Pulse until roughly chopped and then slowly adding olive oil until it resembles a thick paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If using salted nuts, omit adding salt at the end unless needed.

Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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