Mint-Basil Pesto

The Mint-Basil Pesto is in the little bowl along side the 

Almond-Apricot Cheese StuffedChicken.  

Drizzle it over the top OR dip a morsel of the 

chicken in the pesto for a flavor kick!

Yield: 1 cup

Recipe from Pestos! Cooking with Herb Pastes by Dorothy Rankin

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

When the herbs come in your garden or at the store, be sure to make several batches of pesto to enjoy.  A little pesto goes a long way to adding fantastic flavor to soups, pastas, salads, sandwiches and other yummy dishes.  This pesto tastes especially good with Almond-Apricot Cheese StuffedChicken!

1 cup fresh mint leaves (I use spearmint.)

1 cup fresh basil leaves

2 garlic cloves, peeled

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts

½ cup or so olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine the mint, basil, garlic, cheese and nuts in a food processor or blender.  Process to mix.  With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until the desired consistency.  Season to taste with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and process a bit more to incorporate. 

Notes:

If you're not using the pesto immediately, you can store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  Cover the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil and cap tightly.  It is important to exclude as much air as possible to prevent loss of color and spoilage. There will be some discoloration of the pesto on the surface, but this will not affect the flavor.  Simply stir the discolored pesto into the green pesto below.  Let come to room temperature before serving.  Pesto freezes beautifully too!