Basil Pesto

If you are used to only eating Asian food, pesto will be something new to you. Basil pesto can be found in supermarkets in Asia but at a very expensive price. Over here in Oz, they are rather inexpensive.

I remembered my first encounter with basil pesto is when my friend R, cooked me some basil pesto chicken with pasta when I went to her place. I remembered it was so so yummy. I tried to cook it once for my parents but they found it odd. I think they are not used to it.

Now that I am living in Oz, I can easily make my own basil pesto that is fresh and good. I grew some basil plants in my garden (2-3 is enough to get you around). The leaves themselves could be used directly in cooking. But I choose to make pesto with the most of them. If I don't have enough, my in-laws will have plenty for me.

I made 2 jars for myself last weekend, which is probably enough to keep me through the year until the next summer. I might make another jar or 2 with more leaves from my in-laws or wait for my plants to grow a little more (this is the last of it, since summer is officially over) from this entire week of rain. Even though I have a recipe, I did not follow any this time. I just used my own estimation of the proportions and blend away!

Do not worry if you do not have your own basil plant. You can either grow it in spring time later this year for next summer's harvest (you can grow it easily in a pot too) or buy a big bunch from the supermarket, or ask around who has basil plants to be able to spare you its leaves, or just simply buy basil pesto from the supermarket!


(contributed by kk, from her cookbook "Cooking - a common sense guide")

90g basil leaves
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup (50g) pine nuts
1 cup (100g) grated parmesan
¾ cup (185mL) olive oil
a generous dash of lemon juice*

Firstly put the garlic and pine nuts in a food processor, process until finely ground. Add basil, lemon juice and Parmesan. Add the olive oil slowly with the motor running. Add finely ground sea salt sparingly to taste.

You can substitute cashews (which I did, simply because it is cheaper) or macadamia nuts for an equally delicious pesto. Pesto can be kept in the fridge for 2 weeks. Spoon into a clean, dry jar and cover the sauce with a thin layer of olive oil*.

*A generous dash of lemon juice prevents the leaves from darkening. The layer of olive oil on top of the pesto in the jar is also to preserve the pesto and prevents discolouring of the pesto.

Pesto can be freezed. I have placed 1 jar in the freezer (for future use) and 1 in the fridge :)

(Left) Store-bought pesto (cost A$3+ but S$6-7 in Singapore), (right) homemade pesto

3 ways to use basil pesto:

1. Drizzle enough sauce to coat freshly cooked pasta.
2. Pesto pinwheels: use frozen puff pastry, spread with a thin layer of pesto and sprinkle some tasty or more grated parmesan cheese before rolling.
3. Baked pesto chicken or fish: pesto is great with lean cuts (e.g. chicken breast, firm white fish fillets) because the oil keeps it moist. Pat dry the fillet, cut a few slits into the flesh (but not all the way through), spread with a thin layer of pesto, top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese again and bake in 180°C oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve with a fresh green salad.