Ingredient in Focus: Basil Pesto

Dear Marinara,

I've become tired of you. You really don't do anything for me... in fact you never really did much for me. Its not that I 'disliked' you... I just didn't like you. And as Bob Dylan put it so eloquently, "If it ain't right; its wrong!"

And I found someone else. He's green; real green.... and now that I found him at Costco in a huge jar, at bargain price I might add, there really is no more competition.

Best,

Maeret

I know he's not much to look at, but he's really versatile.

Having a key ingredient is like having a backbone to your meal. When you have one (or two) key ingredients, you can get away with using other less expensive, possibly prepackaged, or leftover ingredients like canned/frozen vegetables, store-bought stocks, bottled salad dressings or marinades, and minute rice (even though I personally hate the stuff).

Q. What constitutes a 'key ingredient'?

A. I'm so glad you asked. A key ingredient is something that's fresh, preferably in season, and has a degree of emphasis in the meal's composition.

Example A:

Key Ingredient: Fresh Pineapple

Application: Using minute rice, frozen stir-fry vegetables, and a store-bought stir-fry sauce, toss the pineapple in with the veggies (and meat if you prefer) and serve over rice.

Example B:

Key Ingredient: Fresh Avocado & Chevre Goat's Milk Cheese

Application: throw together a tortilla soup with store-bought chicken stock, leftover chicken and seasonings; garnish with avocado, chevre, and tortilla chips.

Key Ingredients can also be found in unique or gourmet condiments, sauces, oils, vinegars, and fresh herbs. Enter Basil Pesto.

It is the ideal companion whether trying to figure out a last minute side dish or looking for that one ingredient to pull your meal together. So many times you find yourself with everything but the ____ to make _____. Coming up with alternatives and substitutes on the spot helps mealtime become less stressful and your meals become more creative in the process. Check out some ideas for using this incredibly versatile ingredient:

• Toss it with your favorite pasta and voila, instant side dish! Make it a meal by adding chicken, tomatoes, nuts (walnuts, or pine nuts) and cheese (parmesan, feta, ect.)
• Use it as the sauce on your next homemade pizza (if you aren't into making the crust from scratch, you can get several pre-packaged options at the supermarket)
• Put it on your favorite sandwich and cook it like a panini in a skillet
• Drop a huge dallop into your next batch of soup (I recommend vegetable soup) and it gives it that extra 'somethin somethin'.
• Rub it on some chicken breasts, let it sit in the fridge for 30 min, and then throw them on the grill or bake them in the oven.

We Love it on pizza with sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, pine nuts, and caramelized onions.