It’s summertime and the living is easy! Your basil plants have been growing since the beginning of summer and the scent of their glossy leaves wafts through your garden or over your balcony whenever you brush against them. It’s time to harvest this generous herb to make pesto! This paste, which originates from northwest Italy, is traditionally made with basil, garlic and pine nuts (which can easily be replaced with roasted almonds or walnuts), olive oil and Parmesan. Foodies that you are, you probably didn’t stop at planting basil back in May. Your urban garden may also contain thyme, sorrel, coriander, peppers, tomatoes… so don’t limit yourself to the traditional version! Test your culinary talents and make pesto with your other harvests. While there are lots of recipes available online to help you, Les Noix du Marché (Atwater and Jean-Talon), experts on the subject, will be happy to give you advice so you can run wild with your ideas. Mathieu suggests the following combos:

– Coriander pesto with roasted squash seeds;
– Grilled red pepper pesto with roasted cashews;
– Spinach pesto with roasted almonds;
– Green onion and sorrel pesto with macadamia nuts;
– Arugula pesto with walnuts;
– Pesto made with chervil, thyme, small onions and hazelnuts;
– Pistachio pesto.

Pesto can be kept up to six months in the freezer! Stock up for the long dark winter, so that when those white flakes are falling outside you can brighten up your menus with a dash of summer sun, by savouring some lovely fresh pasta topped with your wildest pesto innovations!