One of the flavors I most strongly associate with summer is pesto. By definition, pesto is a sauce that originated in the Italian city of Genoa- the name derives from the Italian verb "pesta" which means to pound or to crush- referencing crushed herbs and garlic. Though pesto can manifest itself in a multitude of ways with a zillion different ingredients, for me true pesto is made from basil, olive oil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic and some salt. Today we aired Catherine McCord's Halibut Pesto Kabobs, and though it appears she uses a store bought pesto, making your own really won't add much additional time to the recipe. The most important element in a successful basil pesto is high quality Parmesan. Don't opt for the cheaper stuff, because the tang and nutty flavor of real Parmesan is what truly brings his sauce together. 

Real Pesto

Makes about 11/2 cups pesto

2 cups packed basil leaves

2 garlic cloves (or more if you like it a bit spicier)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons toasted pignoli (pine nuts)

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into food processor and blend until coarsely chopped. 

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