Basil Pesto Blanched

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups washed basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 large bowl of ice water for blanching
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ cup grated Romano cheese

METHOD:

1. Bring water to a rolling boil in a pot large enough to fit a colander
2. Pinch the leaves of basil off the stems, rinse, and put into colander.
3. Toast the pine nuts.
4. Fill a big bowl with ice water.
5. Blanch basil for 10 seconds. Stir constantly to make sure all the basil gets evenly blanched.
6. Immediately dip basil into the ice water. Stir to cool the basil quickly.
7. Blend the blanched basil, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, toasted pine nuts, and garlic into a in a food processor until smooth.
8. If you are going to freeze the sauce, put this mixture into a jar, cover with a layer of olive oil, add a lid and freeze. You can add the cheese later when you heat it up.
9. Add the cheese to the sauce and mix together before serving.