My mom’s backyard basil has been getting a little out of control. It’s doing so well that she has way more than she can possibly use for her and my dad (who isn’t too crazy about basil to begin with). So, on her last visit to Habanero and me, she bequeathed a generous portion of the herb – already cleaned and dried! – along with some pignoli nuts, and a recommendation to try Heidi Swanson’s recipe for “How to Make Pesto like an Italian Grandmother.”

The recipe is so simple, and has a wonderful homemade touch to it – no food processors required. This also gives the final product a sort of rustic texture, with some slightly larger pieces of pignoli nuts and garlic interspersed in the aromatic paste. I think even a Chinese grandmother would approve of this.

Basil Pesto, in the style of a true Italian Grandmother

from Heidi Swanson, www.101cookbooks.com

• 1 large bunch of basil, leaves only, washed and dried
• 3 medium cloves of garlic
• one small handful of raw pine nuts
• roughly ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, loosely packed
• A few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

• Special equipment (optional): large mezzaluna for chopping (I used a chef’s knife, which worked just fine)

Start chopping the garlic with about one third of the basil leaves. Once this is loosely chopped, add more basil and chop some more, then add the rest of the basil and continue chopping until the basil and garlic are a very fine mince.

Add about half the pine nuts and chop. Repeat with the rest of the pine nuts.

Add half of the Parmesan and chop. Repeat with the rest of the Parmesan.

Finely chop the ingredients until they hold together when pressed into a basil “cake”. Transfer this pesto “cake” to a small bowl (not much bigger than the cake). Cover with a few tablespoons of olive oil, enough to cover the entire surface of the “cake”.

The pesto is best if used immediately, but it can also be stored in the refrigerator. Just before serving, give the pesto a quick stir to incorporate some of the oil into the basil. If using on pasta, you might want to dilute the pesto with a bit of pasta water to help it cover all the pasta.

Makes about 1 cup.

This recipe is a sweeter take on grilled marinated summer vegetables, thanks to the brown sugar in the dressing – a sort of Americanization of this humble dish. It tastes good, with the molasses (from the sugar) rounding out the vinegar, but don’t expect the garlicky zip of an authentic Italian preparation.

Grilled Zucchini and Pepper Salad

based on an epicurious.com recipe

• 1½ pounds zucchini, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
• 2 red bell peppers
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil

(The original recipe calls for grilling the zucchini and peppers. I’ve amended it for those without access to either a grill or a grill pan.)

Place peppers directly above a medium-flame burner and cook, turning frequently, until burned on all sides. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10-15 minutes. Peel peppers and remove seeds, then cut into 1-inch pieces.

Toss zucchini with 2 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Broil, turning occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes total. Cut zucchini crosswise into 1-inch pieces.

Whisk together vinegar, brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Stir in vegetables and basil. Let stand 15 minutes for flavors to blend.

In this week’s share:

• Raspberries
• Basil
• Dill
• Eggplant
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Red Tomatoes
• Cantaloupe Melon

I’m looking for a creative way to use the dill… a lot of dill. I’d thought we were going to get fingerling potatoes and was hoping to make some form of dilled potatoes, but none showed up in the box this week.

Really, this vegetable has me stumped. When the CSA distributes it, they distribute it in massive quantities – and most recipes I’ve seen only ask for a few teaspoons of the herb. Any suggestions to cook/bake away a lot of dill (and preferably in one go) are welcome.

In this week’s share:

• Basil
  
• Peppers (Green Bell & Green Long)
  
• Eggplant (Rosa Bianco)
  
• Zucchini (10 pieces total!)
• Tomato
• Garlic
• Purslane
• Blackberries

We thought we were getting arugula and cherry tomatoes, but were surprised to find blackberries and purslane instead.

Purslane, finally! After being denied it during Week 9, it arrived in the box and mystified many in our CSA. Now, in addition to looking for lots of zucchini recipes, I’m sure everyone is also trying to figure out what to do with this curious vegetable. I’m open to any suggestions!