As we enter July, my backyard garden has become lush and green with a myriad fresh herbs, especially the shiny, wide leaves of my beloved basil plants. This fragrant herb has become the go to for salads, soups, sandwiches and jars of pesto that increasingly take up space in my pantry and fridge. Pesto is my favorite summertime condiment, dolloping on grilled fish, spreading on sandwiches, and twirling with noodles for a quick, delicious impromptu lunch or dinner.
My version of pesto takes a little longer to prepare, but the blanching technique tends to yield more, while making the color POP appropriately for the season.
Lastly, there are so many beautiful flavors that seem to lend themselves almost poetically when crossing the borders between Asian and Italian cooking; long noodles that cling to rich, aromatic sauces that are shared by two of the most iconic cuisines in the world. My affection for BLUE ELEPHANT Yellow Curry grows even deeper with the addition of homemade pesto made from fresh basil grown in my backyard; and the idea that ingredients harvested lovingly from two completely different parts of the world when combined can make something so incredibly delicious and poignant fills my heart. THUMP THUMP!
