Food for Thought: Harvest herbs, get busy and presto you have pesto

Wendy Van Wagner is the author of Food for Thought, a feature of the Nevada City Advocate.

Pesto, made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan cheese, is a classic summer sauce that everyone knows and loves.

On the one hand, I am so grateful for the spring rain we have been having as it leaves everything green and lush and is good in the long run for local crops.

On the other hand, I am getting impatient for the bounty of summer! One thing that is in full bloom in my home garden this time of year is herbs!

Pesto, made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan cheese, is a classic summer sauce that everyone knows and loves. It is great over pasta as a marinade, even as a salad dressing. Pesto originated in Genoa, Italy, and literally means to pound or crush, which is how you make pesto!

However, you can also make pesto with any kind of herbs, nuts, oil and cheese! This is a fun way to get creative with the herbs you grow and this time of year there are lots of them!

Here is a recipe for a mixed herb pesto that uses almost every herb that grows in my garden!

Six Herb Pesto

                    1 cup basil leaves, loosely packed

                   1 cup parsley leaves, loosely packed

                   1/2 cup mint leaves, loosely packed

                   1/4 cup marjoram or oregano leaves, loosely packed

                   1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary leaves

                   1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon leaves

                   1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

                   2 tablespoons lemon juice

                   1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to serve with pesto, if desired

                   2 cloves garlic, sliced, or more, if desired

                   1/2 cup olive oil

Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until roughly puréed. Taste for seasoning, add salt, if needed.

When ready to serve, stir in about 1/4 cup very hot water to thin the pesto to a good serving consistency - that little bit of heat also intensifies the flavors.

Pesto can be made ahead of time and be refrigerated or frozen; bring to room temperature before serving.

I like to make simple pasta and toss pesto over it, or I thin it with additional olive oil to turn it into a salad dressing. I love having a stash of pesto in the freezer because I know I always have something on hand to liven up any meal.

Wendy Van Wagner is the author of Food for Thought and the owner of In The Kitchen Cooking School at 468 Zion St, Nevada City. If you would like to contact Wendy, call 478-0669 or visit www.wendyvanwagner.com.