A dense, herbaceous, aromatic cold Genoese pesto marinade, made in a mortar to coat meat, fish, or vegetables before resting in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 80 g fresh Genovese basil, in a bunch
- 160 ml mild Italian extra-virgin olive oil
- 40 g shelled pine nuts
- 50 g aged Parmigiano Reggiano
- 25 g aged Sardinian pecorino
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 pinch whole black peppercorns
Method
- Rinse the basil very briefly under cold water, then spread it on a clean cloth. Dry it carefully, without crushing it, until the leaves no longer glisten with moisture.
- Pull the basil leaves from the stems and discard the large, fibrous stalks. Keep the small tender stems if they are fragrant and supple between your fingers.
- Put the garlic and coarse salt in a mortar. Crush with the pestle in a circular motion until you have a smooth, wet, intensely fragrant paste with no visible pieces of garlic.
- Add the pine nuts. Work them against the side of the mortar until they become creamy and begin to bind the garlic paste.
- Add the basil in small handfuls. Grind with a turning motion, without striking hard, until the leaves break down, darken slightly, and release a clear fresh-basil aroma.
- Add the grated cheeses. Mix with the pestle until you have a thick, grainy, homogeneous paste that sits on the spoon.
- Pour in the olive oil gradually in a thin stream while continuing to turn the pestle. The marinade should become glossy, supple, and coating, thick enough to cover the back of a spoon without running like a vinaigrette.
- Add freshly ground black pepper and taste. The marinade should be distinctly salty, aromatic, and slightly hot, since it will season the food during the rest.
- To use it as a traditional marinade, coat the chosen food in a nonreactive dish, cover it directly, and refrigerate overnight and through the following day. Turn the food halfway through so the coating remains even.
- Before cooking the marinated food, remove excess marinade from the surface to keep the basil and cheese from burning. Cook according to the food, then optionally add a small spoonful of fresh marinade off the heat to revive the aroma.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 507.9 kcal
- Protein
- 7.99 g
- Carbohydrate
- 2.69 g
- Fat
- 52.58 g
- Fibre
- 0.95 g
- Calcium
- 58.44 mg
- Iron
- 1.56 mg
- Magnesium
- 42.55 mg
