[GrannieAnnie]

I've got more basil here than I would use in my pasta sauces, so I looked for a pesto recipe.

Never had the stuff before, but my daughter likes it.  Recipe says if you are going to freeze the pesto, then don't add the cheese until its been defrosted, but if I put it in a jar, how long will it last?

Any ideas anyone please?

[arugula]

There's quite a bit of oil so I imagine it would keep well in a sealed jar and would just need using up once it was opened.

Lucky you having so much excess basil.  :happy:

[GrannieAnnie]

Thanks Argyllie!

Funny thing about the basil.  I sowed several lots of my old seed and nothing germinated, so I bought a new packet from Premier Seeds Direct, and then one of hte sowings of old basil started to grow.  I also sowed some of the new stuff, but none of that came up, but the older stuff is doing really well.

but its in my little greenhouse, not outside.  I don't use a lot of it as Brian complains when I use herbs, he doesn't like the 'bits'  !!!     

[joyfull]

how weird of him, basil is wonderful   

[alimilly]

I freeze Pesto in ice cube trays.  Once frozen I pop them out and store them in a bag in the freezer,  one cube is  equivalent to about 1 tablespooon.  I always freeze with the cheese and haven't had any problems doing this.    I freeze excess tomato puree this way too.

[GrannieAnnie]

how weird of him, basil is wonderful   

I know Joy!    The smell when you add it to your tomatoes!  MMMMMMM   

Thanks Alimilly,  I could freeze I suppose, but I also wanted to take a little jar to my daughter in Kent at the end of the month, and didn't want it going 'funny'!  But like Argyllie said, with all that oil, it should be okay!

[chrissie B]

could you not make it nearer the time or is the basil needing to be used now , i carnt seem to grow basil it just dies on me and i love the stuff
chrissie b

[GrannieAnnie]

I do want to prune it now Chrissie, but hopefully there will be some new growth in a couple of weeks.  Its getting rather long now and is hanging over the side of the pot.  So I may be able to make 2 lots!!!

I know what you mean about killing things, I can never grow rhubarb would you believe!!!!   

[GrannieAnnie]

Well I only had enough olive oil for one small jar.  Looks okay, but as I don't know what its supposed to taste like, can't say if its good or not!   

Brian didn't like it.......  not sure if I do or not!  It tasted sorted of cheesy, oily, herby!!!   lol

[arugula]

Looks good and

It tasted sorted of cheesy, oily, herby!!!   lol

mmm that sounds about right.

[Madame Cholet]

sounds yummy could you freeze the bazil for winter?

[GrannieAnnie]

I might next time Rachel.  And will be using it lots more once I have some tomatoes to make my sauces with! 

Thanks Argylllie, it does look like the stuff my daughter buys, but like I said, I've never actually tried it.  We are seeing Brian's youngest on Saturday, I wonder if his wife like Pesto, she could be my guinea pig!!!!!   

[New shoot]

A little goes a long way with pesto.  I quite often add frozen peas (or broad beans, fresh peas or mangetout if I have them) to the pasta just before it finishes cooking.  The sweet taste of the veg combines well with the pesto and livens up the pasta.

This also makes a nice pasta salad 

[chrissie B]

yes thats it , a little goes along way saw on the telly today basil is good for repelling insects might try planting some around .
chrissie b

[snowdrops]

Nice on new potatoes too. Not sure it will last long though,I thought it was just a couple of days. The stuff you buy has gone through the bottling process.