Herbed Olive Oil

Some of you know that my love of gardening follows very closely behind my passion for food. As I was transplanting my little herb seedlings to their strawberry pot today, I was already making plans for the sprigs of fresh new growth they'll soon be producing. Most herbs benefit greatly by regular trimming, this provides us with a constant supply of fresh herbs over the summer.


This morning's transplanting inspired me to share one of my favorite herb recipes with you...

Herbed Olive Oil

Makes 3/4 cup

3 Tbl fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbl fresh rosemary, chopped, or one small sprig
1 and 1/2 Tbl fresh oregano, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground peppercorns
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Assembly:

In a food processor or blender, combine parsley, rosemary, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Process until herbs are finely minced. Add olive oil and blend well. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving or transfer to a covered jar and store in refrigerator for up to one week.

**Please do not increase this recipe unless you plan to share with others. Due to the lack of preservatives in this oil, dangerous bacterial growth is possible if stored for over a week, even in the refrigerator.

A new twist on Pesto!

Recently, while visiting one of my most favorite blogs, Kopiaste, I saw that Ivy had posted a very creative Pesto recipe. We love pesto, and I make it on a regular basis, but I really don't care for pine nuts (a staple of most pesto recipes) at all.
Not only does Ivy use fresh Spinach (!!) in her pesto, she substitutes walnuts for those pesky pine nuts. :-)
We tested her recipe this weekend, and all I can say is 'Pure Culinary Delight!' The spinach gave us a wonderful fresh change from our usual basil, and the walnuts added a fantastic, 'creamy' finish, which, in our opinion, complemented the entire taste experience much better than pine nuts.
I have now decided that all my pesto recipes will be adjusted, using walnuts!

With Ivy's permission, I am reposting her recipe here, followed by my suggestion of using basil, in place of the spinach, just for a change of taste.
This recipe has already taken its place beside my basil pesto, as one of our favorites!

Spinach Pesto
2 cups rough chopped fresh baby leaf spinach
3 spoonfuls of fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/5 cup of wine vinegar


Put parsley, parmesan, walnuts, garlic, salt to food vinegar. Mix until smooth. Add olive oil, and half spinach to mixture. Blend until smooth. Add remaining half of spinach and blend until smooth.

This recipe makes 2 cups of pesto. Refrigerate remaining pesto in a glass jar. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top. Pesto will keep in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. Additionally, you can freeze pesto in small freezer bags by filling 3/4 full, laying flat, squeezing out the air and sealing. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, not in the microwave.

Variation: 1 cup (or more to taste) of coarsely chopped fresh basil, substituted for the spinach.


For more wonderful recipes, and great everyday stories from the heart of Greece, please visit Ivy's blog, Kopiaste to Greek Hospitality

-Chef