Hey PESTO!

So many types of basil available, find the ones you like…

My attempts of growing basil on my sun-drenched balcony is not really working that well (understatement), so whenever I see a lovely bunch of basil, I always smile and think batch PESTO sauce!

Originally, Pesto is from Genoa in Italy, and it literally means to pound or to crush and especially when used with the trusty mortar and pestle. Once you get the formula down for pesto you can actually mix and match and custom make your own ingredients perfectly. Basically you just have to remember five main components: 1. Herb (many types of basil, kale, spinach, parsley, coriander, radishes, beet or carrot tops, veggie stems like kale); 2. Acid (typically lemon juice); 3. Cheese (any hard cheese or nutritional yeast); 4. Toasted Nuts / Seeds (pine, pistachio, pumpkin, hemp, walnut, pecan, almond); and 5. An Oil to blend (I prefer a great quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil). It’s always fun to create different combinations and I'm always impressed with the flavours that come out. So don’t be shy with this one, be bold and experiment with what you have.

Pesto is considered a high calorie food because of the nuts, oil and cheese. Contrary to past dietary advice on promoting low-fat diets, newer research emphasises the importance of healthy fats for good health. Fats can be split into saturated and unsaturated fats, and over the years the argument that "all fat is bad” has proven to become a fallacy. We have to understand that fats are a necessary part of our health. Unsaturated fats (variety of vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, fish and vegetables) are either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, and are “essential”, which means we cannot produce them on our own, we must get them from food, and when consumed in moderation with what our body needs, it can help with cholesterol levels, and decrease inflammation in our bodies. Saturated fats (meat and dairy products) has been such a controversial topic in the health world, but if taken in moderation, many studies have shown numerous benefits to our health, such as it boosts brain health, forms cell membranes, increases beneficial HDL (good fats) cholesterol and reduces the risk of having a stroke. Not bad I would say.

That’s just a quick thing about fats, didn’t meant to go off topic, just that I have definitely noticed by diligently increasing my healthy fats in the last 8 months, my blood works have improved considerably, not just cholesterol but blood sugar levels as well. So I know the low fat diet theory really does not work for me, and I know that for many of my clients too, as we’ve literally been experimenting! So here’s a tasty recipe to start boosting your healthy fats intake.

This recipe is really super easy, and can literally be whizzed up in seconds in a food processor. Although the mortar and pestle was traditionally used to pound at the leaves to bring the flavours out more, there are also other ways to infuse the flavours more if you have the time. We are talking more about basil pesto today, so the key is to use the freshest basil leaves, but dried basil leaves can also be used, although will have less flavour.

With over 160 diverse and distinctive types of basil leaves around the world, ranging from bold and spicy to mild and sweet, there’s really no reason why you can’t whizz or pound up a good old pesto for your pasta, toast, salad or anything really… Pesto actually dates back to the Romans, and is a must-eat in Italy, and it’s easily one of the most common and favourite dishes made with basil leaves today.

In my opinion, there’s no right or wrong with which type of basil leaves to use, the key is to try out the different types you can get a hold of and see which flavours you prefer, and it also depends what you are using it for. The top three available basil leaves I see available in this part of the world (Macau) are:

From left to right: Pic 1. Italian large leaf - strong and robust flavour Pic 2. Sweet - mild and sweet Pic 3. Thai - slightly spicy anise and liquorice taste (sometimes purple)

As I said during the preparation of pesto, you can further enhance flavours by crushing the basil leaves to release the flavour, then add it to the olive oil, which can be left overnight to soak in the oil creating a more herbal flavour. You can also crush some basil seeds to the oil for an added boost of flavour. When you’re ready to prepare the sauce, use your basil-oil infusion and mix in the garlic, parmesan or pecorino cheese, and toasted pine nuts. In the past I did everything manually with my trusty mortar and pestle, but honestly once I got my food processor, it’s hard to go back. Literally, I get fresh pesto sauce in seconds!

For storage I tend to either freeze in ice cube trays so I can portion control better, or if I know I have a meal to make in the future and know the total amount of people, I will freeze according to that amount. Otherwise you can keep the pesto in an air tight glass container for up to one week in the fridge, just make sure the top is covered with a layer of EVOO to prevent it going rancid.

The use of this sauce is numerous, from pasta sauces, pastes for sandwiches, wraps and pizzas, to dressing a salad, marinating meats, or just as a simple vegetable dip. The list is endless and anything goes. So enjoy making this sauce, and experimenting with your favourite ingredients.

You can find the recipe here.