I get the impression that lots of people think “pesto” means what we consider “traditional” basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan.and/or pecorino romano blended in olive oil. The name really refers to the method of preparation–pounding or crushing using mortar and pestle.

With the convenience of a blender or food processor you don’t have to do the laborious pounding so this is an easy, no-cook sauce–right up there with gremolata  or persillade to at zip and zing to summer (or winter) dishes. It’s also a way to preserve some summer bounty into the winter when you want to resurrect a bit of summer–when you have an excess of summer herbs, make it, and freeze it.

As hot summer weather looms, pesto of various sorts is great for use in lighter meals–pasta, bean or legume salads, and with summer vegetables. Bon Appetit just posted recipes for different kinds of pesto–with recipes: 22 Pesto Recipes for When You Want Greens *and* Cheese might just provide some inspiration for summer meals.

Go ahead, get wild an crazy with variations on the traditional basil pesto!

A son gôut!