This is what I love about getting food straight from the farm -- there's never any doubt that it's actually fresh. It might be messy, but the roots and dirt remind you that this stuff was actually growing out of the ground a couple days ago.
So this is basil. A lot of basil. (For context, that's a regular-sized dinner plate it's sitting on.) It's probably my favourite herb. Normally my first move in this case is to whip out the hand-blender and turn it into pesto, and keep a steady supply on hand in the fridge. But the basil I'm growing in the backyard is growing like mad, which should keep me going till the end of the season, so I think most of this stuff is headed for the freezer.
My pesto recipe is pretty basic -- about 2 cups basil, 1/2 cup olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, and pine nuts if I have them (which I usually don't). I've seen variations with spinach and parm, as well. Any other suggestions or substitutions out there? What can I use instead of pine nuts?
