Walnut Pesto

This is the first year that I have had great success with fresh basil. How exciting!
Who knew that watering it was the key?
I bought one of the pots at Trader Joe's (as usual), but this year I put it in the hottest corner of my deck and kept it drenched, even soaking in 1-2" of water.  

Beautiful, bountiful... now what do I do with it?
Well, there's the tried and true pesto, but I was fresh out of pine nuts.
I have walnuts. Why not?

We served ours on broiled tilapia fillets, but it would be nice on beef, chicken or pasta.  Also, I like to freeze it in small amounts (ice cubes) and use it in soups and stews.

NOTE:  I added some fresh parsley as I hear it helps to keep your pesto green and not oxidize to black as basil is prone to do.  If you are keeping it in the fridge, smooth off the top and add a little "float" of olive oil to seal it.






When you cut (or pinch...) your fresh basil take it back to the last set of stems/leaves that are sprouting.  That way, it will bush out again after you pinch.  You can keep this $4 plant going all Summer.  Yes, you can.

Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/4 cup fresh parsley (optional)
1/2-2/3 cup walnuts, toasted & chopped
1/2 olive oil
1 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
3-4 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper
A squeeze of lemon (optional)

Toast the walnuts and roughly chop.

In a blender or a food processor (don't use the small type like below, it was a bit challenging to fit it all in there... LOL), add the cooled, toasted walnuts, the garlic, the basil, the parsley and the olive oil.  Process/chop to smooth.  Add salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon to taste.  Let sit for 20-30 minutes to allow the tastes to meld and develop.  Yum.  Enjoy

 

Cucumber Wasabi Martini

Having a heat wave here, 95 degrees before the fourth of July in the Northwest is kind of unheard of.
So, we're HOT.
And my dishwasher is broken, and I just took out a major loan at Home Depot to replace it and a couple other things.
I need a drink.
This ones feels cool & refreshing, and spicy, and a touch sweet too.
Just right, I must say.

The level of heat your drink will have is going to depend on how much wasabi you use. Start with a smaller amount at first and if you want it a little hotter, go with a little more paste in the next round.

Makes 2

Ingredients:

3 jiggers gin

6 thick slices fresh cucumber

2 pea-sized dollops of wasabi paste

1 jigger simple syrup (I used lemon kind, my recipe is here)

1 lemon, juiced

2 Cucumber thin slices for garnish

Muddle the cucumber slices, wasabi, lemon juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.

Muddle basically means to smash it to smithereens with a blunt object like a "muddler", or the end of big wooden spoon.

My photo is on the left.  You can see I added quite a bit of wasabi, because I am like that.

Fill with ice and add gin.

Shake well

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish with a slice of cucumber.










Here's what it looked like after I muddled the cucumber wasabi mixture. (below)

Here's a close up of the finished drink, you'll probably have some little seeds or bits of cucumber in your drink.  I think that's OK.