I made pesto with shrimp and pasta for dinner tonight. I followed this recipe and it came out great.
She is NOT kidding when she says it took her 30 minutes to cut up the basil/cheese/garlic/pine nuts! It took me exactly 30 minutes to cut up everything into the right consistency. I did actually buy a mezzaluna, and if you plan to make this recipe, buy one. I bought one at Giant for $7. It was nice and sharp, and the rocking motion you can do with a mezzaluna is much better than a knife (unless you have a super-sharp knife!)
We are growing basil in our backyard so I used that. What I like about this recipe is that you form the basil, cheese, pine nuts, garlic into a pesto "cake" and place it in a bowl. Then you add olive oil, and you can add as little or as much as you want. No set amount. I think I ended up using more olive oil than needed because when I mixed about 1 TBSP plus 1 tsp. it did not seem the right consistency. So, I added more. It took away from the flavors of the basil mixture so next time I will go with less oil. But, I've had pesto out, never made it myself, and this was way better. Most recipes I saw called for 1/2 cup of olive oil. I used about 3 TBSPS which I guess could equate to 1/2 a cup, I'm not sure, I did not compare the two.
The other thing about pesto, if you've never made it, is that you don't need nearly as much to coat the pasta as you think. Add a little bit, maybe a TBSP of the pesto to your pasta and toss before adding more. The flavors are strong, so little pesto is really needed. I steamed the shrimp, no added fat/salt, so that helped.
I know there are other, healthier recipes out there for pesto, but I totally recommend this one for the flavor. Remember, you can add as little, or as much oil as you'd like.
I can say that compared to the pesto I've had out, and even though I probably could've stopped at 1 TBSP of olive oil, it had intense flavor.
The worst and best part was using the mezzaluna and chopping. It was a labor of love, so to speak. It did take a full 1/2 hour to get everything in tiny pieces, but well worth the flavor and it smelled amazing while I was doing it. I used a nice block of Parmesan that I grated immediately prior to incorporating it into the mix. DO NOT use that stuff in the plastic containers! You will never get the same flavor!
Jill
ETA: I think I over chopped early on in my 30 minutes. After adding the second round of basil and other ingredients, I chopped a little, added, chopped a little, added, etc.
Also-because she gives "sketchy" amounts for ingredients, next time I will use more basil. I used 2 cups, packed basil, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 3 large garlic cloves, and about 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan.
Summer Challenge Goals: 1) Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week 2) Plan weekly menus
I have been making pesto a lot this past 10 days. The basil is aching to be picked and used. I've been throwing in a couple cups of spinach for extra veggie punch. An added bonus of the veggies is that it keeps the pesto very green and beautiful.
I tried a pesto recipe recently that substituted a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice for the cheese. Gave it some "sharpness" without the fat and calories.
DH ate it, but definitely expressed a preference for the real thing. Part of the issue may have been that it was supposed to be mint pesto, using some mint leaves and some basil. But I didn't have fresh mint leaves, so it was all fresh basil. Maybe that would make a difference.
Originally posted by Nbox: I wowed dh last night with a variation of this. Garlic, red onion, fresh basil and shrimp on spinach fettucine. Thanks everyone for inspiring me!
YUM!!! That sounds awesome!
Jill
Summer Challenge Goals: 1) Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week 2) Plan weekly menus
Originally posted by Nbox: I'm allergic to nuts and I've also had bad reactions to pesto. Can anyone suggest using something else instead of pine nuts or other nuts? All the other ingredients (basil, garlic, cheese, evoo) are fine. Of course I could just leave out the pine nuts.
French pistou which is very similar to pesto does not have the pine nuts in it.
Dawn
"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire." anonymous
Posts: 4283 | Location: Indianapolis, IN | Registered: March 15, 2004
Originally posted by Nbox: I'm allergic to nuts and I've also had bad reactions to pesto. Can anyone suggest using something else instead of pine nuts or other nuts? All the other ingredients (basil, garlic, cheese, evoo) are fine. Of course I could just leave out the pine nuts.
You definitely don't need the nuts. The region of Italy where my mom is from never uses nuts in pesto.
If you want the crunch, could you do sunflower seeds or are you allergic to them as well?
Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.
I'm allergic to nuts and I've also had bad reactions to pesto. Can anyone suggest using something else instead of pine nuts or other nuts? All the other ingredients (basil, garlic, cheese, evoo) are fine. Of course I could just leave out the pine nuts.
****************** “The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.”
Originally posted by jillybean: I went down and checked the block of parm, and the shaker of parm. A serving size of the block is 1 oz. and is 390 mg sodium per serving. The shaker cheese serving is 2 tsps and 85 mg sodium per serving. Two tsps of the block would be 65 mg/serving. So actually, one oz of shaker cheese would have 510 mg of sodium, more than the block. I was very surprised by this! And I am horrible with math, so if I am wrong, someone please correct me!
That doesn't surprise me about the powdered stuff--if you mean the green can that most of us grew up sprinkling on our spaghetti. I stopped using that stuff years ago, but I do buy the plastic tubs of shredded parm at the store and it doesn't bother me.
Goals: 1. Exercise-Cardio: 2-3 walking or DVD cardio workouts per week. 2. Exercise-Weights/Toning: 1-2 weight plus 1 toning workout per week. 3. Food: Increase veggie servings back to where they were. 4. Behavior: Reduce sweets.
Posts: 7234 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
There is definitely a much higher sodium content in the blocks of Parmesan. I'm not sure if the Parm/Reggiano blend is even higher than just parm. I tend to use a lot less than the shaker cheese parm because of the strong flavor. For me, the cheese in the plastic shaker, has little flavor and I end up using way more than I need to so I stick with the regular blocks of cheese. Now, I have a friend who really likes the shaker parm cheese much better because the flavor is milder. But, that is good to note for anyone who suffers from hypertension.
Jill
I went down and checked the block of parm, and the shaker of parm. A serving size of the block is 1 oz. and is 390 mg sodium per serving. The shaker cheese serving is 2 tsps and 85 mg sodium per serving. Two tsps of the block would be 65 mg/serving. So actually, one oz of shaker cheese would have 510 mg of sodium, more than the block. I was very surprised by this! And I am horrible with math, so if I am wrong, someone please correct me!
Jill
Summer Challenge Goals: 1) Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week 2) Plan weekly menus
There is definitely a much higher sodium content in the blocks of Parmesan. I'm not sure if the Parm/Reggiano blend is even higher than just parm. I tend to use a lot less than the shaker cheese parm because of the strong flavor. For me, the cheese in the plastic shaker, has little flavor and I end up using way more than I need to so I stick with the regular blocks of cheese. Now, I have a friend who really likes the shaker parm cheese much better because the flavor is milder. But, that is good to note for anyone who suffers from hypertension.
Jill
Summer Challenge Goals: 1) Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week 2) Plan weekly menus
Originally posted by jillybean: I used a nice block of Parmesan that I grated immediately prior to incorporating it into the mix. DO NOT use that stuff in the plastic containers! You will never get the same flavor!
I have only one experience with using fresh Parmesano Reggiano--I paid for the real thing at Whole Foods cuz I wanted to see if there was really that much of a difference in flavor. I grated it into a version of Pasta Fagioli I was making from a recipe I found on the web (I love Olive Garden's Pasta Fagioli and was going for that same sort of flavor, but this recipe wasn't it).
Anyway, the whole pot of soup ended up going down the garbage disposal after I'd had the first bowl, because the difference in sodium content between the "real" Parmesano Reggiano and the shredded stuff I'd been using in plastic containers was so great that it made me extremely dizzy and ill.
I am hypertensive (i.e., have high blood pressure, controlled with medication) and a lot of salt is a bad thing for hypertensives. The salt in that "real" Parm cheese sent my blood pressure soaring and made me swell up like a balloon.
So I would just caution anyone who hasn't had 'the real thing' against using it if they have high blood pressure. I don't know if this is the case for ALL "real" Parm, but that was my experience with the Parmesano Reggiano.
Goals: 1. Exercise-Cardio: 2-3 walking or DVD cardio workouts per week. 2. Exercise-Weights/Toning: 1-2 weight plus 1 toning workout per week. 3. Food: Increase veggie servings back to where they were. 4. Behavior: Reduce sweets.
Posts: 7234 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by Coaster Girl: I'm not a big basil fan, but I've made one for a while now that is fresh spinach, asiago cheese, garlic, and soy nuts. I process it in the food processor, add about 1/4 c. olive oil, and freeze it in ice cube trays before putting the blocks in a freezer bag.
It's sooo good, and I occasionally substitute in other nuts for the soy nuts. My latest incarnation was with pumpkin seeds, which was pretty good, too.
Sounds great, I love Asiago cheese, I am definitely going to try your recipe!
Jill
Summer Challenge Goals: 1) Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week 2) Plan weekly menus
I'm not a big basil fan, but I've made one for a while now that is fresh spinach, asiago cheese, garlic, and soy nuts. I process it in the food processor, add about 1/4 c. olive oil, and freeze it in ice cube trays before putting the blocks in a freezer bag.
It's sooo good, and I occasionally substitute in other nuts for the soy nuts. My latest incarnation was with pumpkin seeds, which was pretty good, too.
Life is like a roller coaster, with lots of ups and downs, but the curves, spirals, loops and corkscrews are what make life interesting.
Originally posted by Brie: I LOVE pesto on almost anything. I do one batch at a time so I don't have to worry about it having turn black because I don't add much oil at all.
I love pesto too.
I make it with walnuts rather than pine nuts as we prefer the flavor and I like the Omego fats.
I use about 2-3 T EVOO and then thin it with pasta cooking water. The taste is great and I don't miss the oil.
I also make one batch at a time- I use about this recipe for 1# pasta:
1/2 C toasted walnuts 2 cloves garlic 3-4 c packed basil 2-3 c packed spinach 2-3 T EVOO salt pasta water to thin Cheese to taste- I try to keep it down to about 1/2 c. (I usally use Parm. Reg., but sometimes add Pec. Romano for a stronger taste.)
We love this dish. I often add 1/2# to 1# broc to the pasta water at the last few minutes and toss the pesto with the pasta and the broc.
P.S. I use a food processor--- I am not as industrious as you are, Jill!
I LOVE pesto on almost anything. I do one batch at a time so I don't have to worry about it having turn black because I don't add much oil at all.
The other thing that I do is not add the cheese to the pesto mixture. I find that I can get the same flavor by using a micrograter right before serving the meal and then I end up using much less cheese.
Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.
It took away from the flavors of the basil mixture so next time I will go with less oil.
Inspired by a Market Bittman "Light Pesto" recipe, I once made pesto with just a tiny bit of oil. Calories aside, I don't like the mouth feel of oily pesto.
I used (gasp!) canola oil, because I don't like taste of olive oil. I'm of Scandinavian descent, so I am under no obligation to cook Authentic Italian.
This was NOT nearly as oily as pesto I've had in a restaurant. I think the oil takes away from the true flavor of the basil mixture. I will, for sure, make it with less oil next time. I don't remember if it is the recipe I posted, or another I read, but one recommended adding pasta water to the basil mixture. I'll try that next time. I know I've made some KD recipes and they called for pasta water vs. oil/butter.
Jill
Summer Challenge Goals: 1) Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week 2) Plan weekly menus
It took away from the flavors of the basil mixture so next time I will go with less oil.
Inspired by a Market Bittman "Light Pesto" recipe, I once made pesto with just a tiny bit of oil. Calories aside, I don't like the mouth feel of oily pesto.
I used (gasp!) canola oil, because I don't like taste of olive oil. I'm of Scandinavian descent, so I am under no obligation to cook Authentic Italian.
Posts: 2327 | Location: A Blue State | Registered: May 02, 2004
There are 8 TBSP's in 1/2 cup so I used 3. So that is less than 1/4 cup, so better than most pesto recipes. Still more than needed for the pesto though. As I said before-the less oil, the more pungent the flavor of the basil, etc. Also, I did not make the gnocchi in the article. I'd love to try and make home made gnocchi, but was not that ambitious today.
Also wanted to add: the 30 min it took to chop all ingredients was the majority of the prep work. The pasta took 5 min to boil, the shrimp about 4 min to steam so total dinner prep time: 35 minutes. I could've sat in a restaurant, waited 5 min for a waitress, a few min for drinks, probably ordered a not-needed appetizer that I would wait another 10 min for, ordered dinner that took 20 min to get to the table and loaded with salt/fat, etc. Total restaurant time would have been approximately about the exact same time to cook a fresh meal at home. I even peeled/deveined the shrimp while the water came to a boil. Cooking at home is so much better!
Jill
Jill
Summer Challenge Goals: 1) Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week 2) Plan weekly menus
