Herb Flower Pesto Recipe
- 3/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts, toasted
- 3 1/2 cups herb flowers such as basil, sage, and rosemary
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
- Pulse nuts, herb flowers, garlic, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Whir in olive oil and Parmesan, if using.
- Spread nuts on a baking sheet and toast them in a 350°F oven—tossing occasionally, for a consistent color—for about 8 minutes, or until they start to turn golden brown and release a strong nutty scent.
- Fennel, lemon balm, and marjoram flowers also make good pesto.
- If you want to store a bit of summer in a jar, put this pesto in your freezer and pull it out when you are most coveting spicy sunny days. I freeze mine in an ice cube tray and then transfer the frozen cubes to freezer bags so I can use a bit at a time.
