Pass the pesto!

Fresh sweet basil, a favorite for pestos. Let’s hear it for an Italian favorite! Pesto (means “pounded”) can turn simple fare into smashing cuisine. It is simple to make and versatile. I make pestos when sweet basil and
cilantro are in season and store them in the refrigerator. I almost always have at least one bottle going into the next season! By spinning and then towel drying the herbs after washing, and by keeping a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto, mold growth is inhibited. Some recipes/books say to store pesto in the freezer, but there is some loss of nutrients and texture when frozen.

I don’t add cheese to pesto, it tends to mute the flavor and color. Also, I stopped adding nuts when I saw that they seemed to oxidize and discolor the pesto — I prefer the brighter emerald green of the simpler mixtures. I have served pesto on potatoes, pasta, whole grains, bread, yuca (not yucca), corn-on-the-cob and beans. Whatever you choose to put it on, it will make the meal delicious and distinctive.

Cilantro - A Natural Herbal Chelator
Cilantro (also called Chinese parsley) helps to flush out heavy metals according to the research of Dr. Yoshiaki Omura. The leaves of the coriander plant can accelerate the urinary excretion of lead, mercury and aluminum from the human body. This is a remarkable discovery. It is an inexpensive, effective and easy
way to remove or chelate toxic metals form the nervous system and body tissues.

Chelation therapy using chemicals like EDTA has long been used to help remove these heavy metals, but cilantro is a natural substance that has been demonstrated to have this ability. This will be helpful for removal of the ill effects of silver amalgam dental fillings, which contain mercury.

The active components in cilantro are easily destroyed during processing. For this reason, it’s recommended to stick to the fresh herb. It can be eaten raw in soup or salad, on tacos or as a garnish with practically any dish. Or eat a couple of teaspoons of cilantro pesto a day for two or three weeks at least once or twice
a year.

Image: Blotting cilantro before blending it with olive oil

Homemade Pesto (basil or cilantro)
Makes about 1 pint
Wash a pint jar and allow to completely dry* at room temperature, or in the oven on the “warm” setting. The lid should be enameled and have a rubber gasket for a tight seal—like a BALL** canning lid.

• 1 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 4 bunches, or at least 1 quart, fresh basil or cilantro leaves
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic or to taste (I like a lot)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Remove leaves from stems. Check carefully for any brown or discolored leaves and discard. Wash and spin leaves in a salad spinner, then spread out on a clean towel and roll them up to blot moisture*. Add the oil and about 2 cups of leaves to the blender and blend until smooth. Add garlic, salt and more leaves and continue blend using a stop/start action until all of the leaves have been finely ground and incorporated.
Fill jar(s), label and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!

* This will inhibit mold growth.
** The grey sealing material on the gaskets from other companies seems to deteriorate on
contact with the oil.

Ann Miller-Cohen A.K.A. Organic Annie
www.OrganicAnnie.com
www.SensualSavvy.com
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