Food and Cooking: Variations on Traditional Pesto

The Italians adapted a Roman cheese spread called moretum, which was often made with basil, into what we now know as pesto. Pesto is traditionally made with fresh sweet basil, parsley, garlic, grated cheese (usually parmigiano-reggiano), toasted pine nuts, and olive oil. There have been many times, however, that I have not had enough sweet basil growing in my herb garden to make a decent amount of pesto for whatever dish I happen to be preparing. In addition, I might decide that I would like a different flavor for a particular kind of meat that my husband has thrown on the grill. Of course, there are those times that I think that I have far too much of a particular herb and need to use it for something. As a result, I have come up with a lot of interesting twists on the traditional pesto. Note: I never seem to have any pine nuts or parmigiano-reggiano cheese laying around, which means that these ingredients usually do not find their way into my pesto. I do always, however, use extra virgin olive oil, which I think tastes richer than other varieties of olive oil. Following are some ideas to use when making your own pesto:

Parsley
I absolutely love the taste of fresh parsley and use it all the time. I have also made pesto using parsley and no other herb other than a few cloves of garlic. I think that this parsley pesto is particular good with pasta and fresh vegetables.

Mint
I have a mint garden with about 10-11 different types of mint (so far). This means that I am always looking for ways to use my various mints. My husband grills a lot of pork, especially Texas-style ribs and pork tenderloin. I think apple is just a natural accompaniment to pork; therefore, I use my apple mint a lot when my husband is grilling. Try using a couple of cupfuls of leaves from apple mint when making your pesto. Also, I have lime mint with which I love to cook. Lime mint combined with garlic and maybe a hot green pepper or two can make a lively pesto to spice up your meals.

Other Varieties of Basil
If you like basil, try using some lemon or lime basil in your pesto. You can also combine either one of these varieties (or both if you so desire) with the sweet basil.

Mix Up Your Herbs
I do not recall reading any law that stated that you must use only one type of herb in your pesto. For example, I have made my parsley pesto and added French sorrel to give it a bit of a lemony flavor. If I really want an Italian flavor, I will add thyme and oregano to my basil and parsley. I also like to use pineapple sage, which is another herb with which I cook a lot.

Experiment with different flavors when you make a pesto. Use it with pasta salads, on meats, or over vegetables. Just let your imagination and taste buds dictate your choices.

You might also be interested in reading more about the following herbs:
Basil
French Sorrel
Oregano
Lovage