For weeks it seems I’ve had herbs coming out my ears! Every time I pick up my CSA share, there are more herbs than I can realistically use in a week — basil, mint, parsley and cilantro. One of my biggest pet peeves is when food goes to waste in my fridge and one of my favorite triumphs is creating food that freezes well. So I did what any responsible kitchenista would do: took control of the situation by creating these easy pesto cubes.
There really isn’t an exact science to this. Just wash the herbs well and remove any course stems.
Add them to a blender with a clove or two of chopped garlic and a few glugs of olive oil and blend it all together well.
Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze then add to soups and sauces as needed.
I mixed and matched to make two kinds: basil and mint and parsley.
If a chunkier pesto is more your thing, check out my recipe for Sage and Walnut Pesto
These are best for flavoring sauces or soups but if you wanted to use them for a pesto sauce, I would use at least 5 or 6. Just put them in a sauce pan and dissolve on the stove.
I have heard about this but haven't done it. Would you use a few cubes for a pesto dish as needed, defrosting 3-4? Pardon by stupidity. I'm a pretty good cook but a lame defroster.
Great idea! I have been trying to figure out how not to waste all my CSA herbs too. They're so beautiful, it's a shame to waste them!