When I pull tender leaves of basil from their stems, I can’t resist closing my eyes and taking a deep breath; the fragrance is pure summer. One of my favorite ways to showcase the herb is to make a traditional Genovese pesto sauce, a purée of lots and lots of basil with garlic, pine nuts, cheese, and olive oil. Not only is this potent sauce versatile—equally at home on pasta, in an omelet, and paired with chicken—but because I can freeze it, I can make pesto when basil is at its best and then continue to enjoy it through the fall.

A blanching and a blender give you the best results

大多数厨师都同意进入传统香蒜酱的成分。betway电子竞技俱乐部我们不经常同意的是将这些成分结合的最佳方法。betway电子竞技俱乐部顾名思义，Pesto传统上是使用A-Mortar和Pestle制成的。尽管有些人发誓打击给您带来了最佳的风味，但我从来没有注意到有什么值得付出的努力。其他人则更喜欢使用食品加工机，但是尽管这台机器肯定会加快该过程，但成分倾向于四处跳动并飞向碗的侧面，从而导致不一致的质地。betway电子竞技俱乐部我更喜欢使用搅拌机。由于搅拌机的锥形形状，成分被吸引到刀片上，在那里它们被固定在更均匀的地方。betway电子竞技俱乐部但是，我注意到一些搅拌机型号，但是，您必须通过定期停止电动机并用刮刀或勺子将食材移动到周围的成分来帮助泥浆。betway电子竞技俱乐部

在融合后，快速的蓝色会使罗勒变软，从而产生更柔软的酱汁。有两个原因为什么我漂白罗勒puréeing it. One of them, admittedly, is purely cosmetic: a brighter green color that holds for several days. More important, however, is the texture. Blanched basil emulsifies more easily to produce a smoother yet full-bodied sauce. Blanching will slightly reduce the potency of the fresh basil flavor, but because a good bunch of basil starts out so incredibly fragrant, the reduction is minimal. Just be sure to dip the leaves only briefly in the boiling water and then quickly plunge them in ice water to keep them from overcooking.

Start with the best basil, the freshest pine nuts, and good-quality cheese

搜索正确的香蒜酱成分的来源是花费大量时间。betway电子竞技俱乐部除了您自己的花园外，农贸市场是新鲜罗勒的绝佳来源。但是，在一年中的这个时候，您甚至可以在超市找到一束巨大的甜罗勒和明亮，活泼的叶子，因此不要安定下来看起来像下垂或变黑的束。新鲜的罗勒不会持续很长时间（这是我经常搅打一批香蒜酱的另一个原因）。为了在冰箱中延长其寿命，我通常将罗勒包裹在几乎没有潮湿的纸巾中，然后将其放入塑料袋中。

松果使香蒜酱变稠. These soft nuts purée really well to give the sauce more body. But because they spoil easily, smell and taste your pine nuts to be sure they’re fresh before adding them to the pesto. (Storing them in the refrigerator extends their life.) Sweet, rich pine nuts are the standard in basil pesto, but you could substitute another mild-flavored nut, such as walnuts or almonds.

选择特级橄榄油以获得最佳的罗勒香蒜酱。I prefer a mild, fruity oil rather than a peppery one since the sauce already gets some heat from black pepper and raw garlic. When I make pestos using other herbs, such as the cilantro-scallion pesto, I might choose a more neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed. Whichever oil you use, smell and taste it for freshness as well.

Pesto freezes well, so go ahead and make a lot of it

利用这一峰值季节的罗勒（Basil）（通过准备几批香蒜酱）以最优惠的价格获得最佳质量。如果您打算在一周内使用它，那么您需要做的就是将其冷藏在密封的容器中。为了将香蒜酱的保质期延长长达三个月，请将其冻结。如果您有备用的冰块托盘（您不需要再次使用冰），将香蒜酱倒入托盘中，冷冻，然后将多维数据集放在冷冻袋中进行存储。您还可以将少量的香蒜酱放入小塑料零食袋中（然后将它们堆放在更大的冰箱袋中），以便在您只需要一部分面食或在汤或炖汤中放一小吃时。如果您将香蒜酱弄平，可以通过将袋子浸泡在温水中来迅速将稀释剂解冻。

Pesto pasta, potatoes, chicken & more

Pesto can brighten your menu in many ways:
• Swirl a dollop into a potato, tomato, or white bean soup.
•除了番茄酱外，还将披萨面团作为底座铺一些。
• Add a tablespoon to a simple vinaigrette for drizzling on grilled vegetables.
Or try some of the recipe suggestions below.

香蒜酱面食：Toss your favorite cooked pasta with pesto that’s been thinned slightly with stock or the pasta cooking water; a few tablespoons of pesto per serving works well. Delicious additions might include black olives, chopped tomatoes, toasted breadcrumbs, sautéed or grilled zucchini, roasted peppers, andeven grilled chicken.

Pesto Mashed Potatoes:Gently fold some pesto into your favorite mashed potatoes. I use about 3/4 cup pesto for mashed potatoes made with 2-pounds potatoes and 1 cup cream or milk (no butter needed). Taste for salt and pepper after adding the pesto.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Pesto, Mozzarella & Sun-Dried Tomatoes：在无骨鸡胸肉的最厚的一侧，切一个深，长的口袋。像书一样打开分裂的鸡胸肉。将1汤匙罗勒香蒜酱撒在乳房的内部，撒上约一盎司的磨碎的芝士和一些切碎的晒干的西红柿（如果很干燥，则补充水分）。将乳房折叠在一起，撒上盐和胡椒粉，然后在425°F的浅油脂烤盘中烘烤，直到煮熟约30分钟。如果您愿意，烹饪后，再加上一两茶匙或两张温暖的香蒜酱。

Grilled Eggplant, Goat Cheese & Pesto Sandwiches:Bake or grill slices of eggplant until tender. Spread some pesto on the inside of a split baguette and grill the baguette as well. Top with crumbled fresh goat cheese, tomato, some arugula, and the eggplant slices.

烤虾与香菜香蒜酱：Devein some large shrimp but don’t remove the shell (slit the shell to expose and remove the vein). Toss the shrimp with olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and broil for about 5 minutes. Flip the shrimp over and cook until opaque all the way through. Serve with the cilantro pesto for dipping and a bowl for the shells.

Pesto Crostini: Slice a baguette into thin rounds; toast the rounds lightly. Spread on a thin layer of pesto and top with thinly sliced tomatoes or roasted red peppers. You can also sprinkle grated Parmesan or mozzarella over the top and broil briefly to melt the cheese.