Oil and Garlic for 3 or 4 People

• cook 1 lb linquine
• cut 1 bulb garlic into medium fine pieces (smaller means more garlic taste)
• saute 1 can anchovies until broken up
• add 7-8 TBS olive oil and garlic
• add crushed red pepper, black pepper, basil, oregano to taste
• (optional) add 6-10 chopped rehydrated sundried tomatoes
• saute under medium heat for a minute or two. do not burn garlic!
• (optional) add a few tablespoons of pesto
• combine with cooked pasta
• add parmesan cheese to taste and serve

Pesto

Living in San Francisco I’m spoiled by having incredible diverse food at my door-step and since supermarkets are so expensive, eating out versus in doesn’t have the same benefits as elsewhere. Still you need to have food around so I make this once a week and have been doing so for many years. It’s undergone many refinements and never tastes quite the same each time. Use it on bread, pasta, omeletes, or salad dressing as a good way to get some raw/fresh and yummy food.

Combine in the food processor:

• 2-4 cloves of raw garlic (to taste)
• 1/3 medium sized carrot
• 1/8 tsp red chili pepper or something spicy
• mince until fine
• (optional) add several sun-dried tomatoes rehydrated or in oil – mince until tomatoes are chopped
• (optional) several black olives or add some salt
• add 1 medium to large bunch of basil
• 6 TBS olive oil
• 1 TBS softened butter
• Salt, black pepper
• 1 tsp of one of these: lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar of your choice
• 2 TBS of maple syrup (or honey)
• grind until fine
• add 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• add 1/4 cup (better toasted) pine nuts
• grind

Add additional olive oil to make it the right consistency if necessary. This is a strong pesto and can be served as is or spread by adding more oil. It’s tough to give exact quantities cause the quality of the ingredients change the taste. Some considerations: if your garlic has sprouts remove them. Remove all of the stems from the basil as they will make it bitter.  If you can’t find sweet basil and your pesto tastes a little bitter, add more maple syrup. The olives provide saltiness so add more if you need it saltier. If you can taste maple syrup, chili pepper, lemon/vinegar as individual ingredients you added too much.