Oregano-Basil Lemon Pesto

Fresh herb season is coming to an end, which is sad. Put your flowering oregano and basil plants to use with this fragrant, flavorful pesto.

The combination of oregano and basil, with lemon juice, makes for an amazing pairing, that is bright and vibrant on the tongue. The fresh garlic and chili flakes add a bit of kick, and the walnuts add a nice deep nutty flavor.

I tossed this with some whole wheat gnocchi, and topped that with pan-fried leftover “meat”balls. But do with it what you will! And if you have a large abundance of oregano and basil, make extra batches of this, store in the freezer, and pull it out for a hint of summer on those cold late-winter days.

Oregano-Basil Lemon Pesto, adapted from This is How I Cook

Makes about 1 cup of pesto (8 servings)

• 1/3 C olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/4 C walnut halves or pieces
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/3 c grated parmesan just cut 4 1″ chunks off your block of parmesan
• 1 C lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 C lightly packed fresh oregano leaves
• Sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes

Rinse the basil and oregano and remove the leaves from their stems.

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. You’ll need to scrape down the sides with a spatula once or twice in the process.

Taste to see if you need to add anything, perhaps olive oil or some more salt and/or pepper. Blend until it’s to your liking.

Store in a glass container in the fridge, or use right away. This will stay fresh in your fridge, in an air-tight container, for up to a week.

Need ideas? Toss it with fresh whole wheat gnocchi, smear some on a grilled cheese sandwich, toss it into potatoes and roast in the oven, or mix with plain Greek yogurt for a herby veggie dip!