Garden Porn

Photos by Shane Carpenter

Pasta with Pesto (and Shrimp!)

This summer I've become mildly obsessed with making pesto. Okay maybe more like fanatical...Not only have we been getting basil from our Great Kids share but I planted a ton of the green stuff in our garden as well. Did you know that you should pick basil in the morning when the essential oils are at their strongest? Pick the top leaf set after the dew has dried, but before the sun has cooked away their potent oil. Pinch just above the next set of leaf buds to keep your plant producing. When a basil plant has flowered the basil will turn and leave a bad taste in your mouth. Store in wet paper towels in a closed container in the fridge to keep the basil from turning black.

Basil is a symbol of hospitality in India and love in Italy. I would have to agree, the smell of fresh basil is comforting and somewhat hypnotic. I have fallen under its spell...and my freezer if proof of our love.

Pasta with Pesto (and Shrimp!)*

serves 4

Prepare your fresh or frozen shrimp and set aside, about 6 per person. Bring water to boil, enough for one box of fusilli pasta.

In a blender or food processor add:

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cups washed and dried basil leaves (remove stems!)

1-2 cloves of fresh garlic

1/2 toasted cashews, pine nuts or walnuts

1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Blend all the ingredients together. Taste, add salt and pepper to your liking and check your consistency which should be similar to Greek yogurt. The mixture should have enough oil to keep your pesto moist as well as for your pasta. Adjust your seasonings and oil accordingly and let it sit for the duration of time it takes to cook your pasta and shrimp. Add your pasta to your now boiling water. Saute your shrimp in a separate pan until pink and slightly browned. I like to use ghee to give it that nice golden brown color, and it smells amazing, if you'd like add some fresh parsley if you have some around at the very end of your shrimp saute.

Drain your pasta add it back to the pot with about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, toss. Taste test your pesto again...adjust seasonings...blend again...add about half to your pasta, use a little heat to help distribute the pesto around. Once mixed add to plates along with the shrimp. A little extra Parmesan on the side, a nice bottle of wine...and eat it! You'll fall in love too...

*I recommend listening to Finger Lickin' Good by the Beastie Boys while preparing this dish!

Freezing your Pesto...

You can freeze pesto in ice cube trays or small plastic/glass containers. I line the ice cube trays with plastic wrap first so I can easily pop out a cube of frozen pesto when the craving strikes. Simply lay a piece of plastic wrap on top of your tray and plop in the pesto. Lay another piece of plastic wrap on top along with wax paper, rubber band and freeze. If using a plastic or glass container fill with pesto and a layer of plastic wrap on top, date and freeze. Now you have pesto for January!

Beet Nest Salad

Sunday August 1st 2010: Today I harvested my first beets in the warm afternoon sun from my very own garden 20 paces from my kitchen door...Heaven! Shane and I decided to eat them right away maximizing their nutrition and gaining a billion local food points with this collaboration between the two of us. This late afternoon meal powered us through our house organizational tasks and into the evening.

Beet Nest Salad with Goat Cheese and Toasted Cashews
Serves 2

4 Beets of considerable size with leaves
1 Clove garlic, minced (CSA: Great Kids)
1 Small diced onion (CSA: Great Kids)
Pinch of sea salt (the sea)
1/4 teaspoon honey (local MD honey)
1 teaspoon unrefined coconut oil (not very local)
1/4 cup raw cashews-crushed into pieces and toasted (also not very local)
4 tablespoons goat cheese (from Pennsylvania)

Trim the leaves from the beet stalks, wash well, spin dry and chop into 1" ribbons then into bite sized pieces and set aside. Mince the garlic, chop the onion, set aside.

Wash and peel 4 Beets
Grate or using a mandolin finely shred or julienne into fine matchstick's. Set aside.

*Toast your cashews in a large skillet on medium-high heat until golden brown. Dust with a little salt towards the end to bring out their sweetness. Remove from pan, set aside.

In the same skillet heat your unrefined coconut oil on medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute until fragrant (your kitchen will smell unbelievable!)
Add the beet greens and saute until wilted about 5 minute's (the greens will reduce considerably). Turn off your heat and add your honey, hon.

Transfer the saute to plates and pile on the shredded beets, goat cheese and a sprinkling of cashews. I served ours with cucumber, cherry tomatoes and a baby carrot (from my garden). If your feeling like you need more oil (vatas and pittas!) drizzle a bit of flax oil on the shredded beets.

*If you are new to pan toasting nuts and seeds here are few guidelines:
Don't abandon your skillet! Use Medium heat...
When you can smell them, give them a toss or stir...you can gauge your heat level at this point by color...your aiming for a golden brown. If they are black turn down your heat or toss sooner.
Every nut is different!

Photography By my favorite beet Shane Carpenter