Several years ago, we took a couple of totes, those 250-gallon plastic liquid containers that sit in an aluminum cage on top of a pallet. With a Sawzall, we cut off about 8-inches of the aluminum cage, and then measured 8-inches down in the plastic tote and cut it off. We tightened the cap, turned the cut-off piece upside down, added some plumbing and turned it into a grow bed. The big part of the tote, still in the cage, became a water sump. We built a frame, took the top of two more totes and built a three bed aquaponic system for fun. Water is pumped from the sump five times per day for fifteen minutes at a time, and the expanded shale grow beds are soaked and drained. We've grown some outstanding lettuce, chives, and herbs, especially sweet basil. When the temperatures are just right, that stuff explodes.
Earlier this summer, we had an abundance of basil and I remembered Jim Morgan, from King Fisher Society and Richmond Mill Lake in North Carolina, having lots of basil. He also has some of the best pesto, ever. I rang his number and he sent his recipe. Debbie and I went striper fishing last week here at Lake Texoma, and caught a bunch of stripers and white bass. That night, we grilled some fish, and that pesto really set off those fish. The fish tasted great in their own right. I grilled them on a gas grill, on the top grate, with a dash of steak seasoning. They cooked fast, held together well. Garnished with some smooth pesto, the flavor was perfect for our evening meal.
What made this recipe so much fun is the main ingredients were harvested from our garden. With abundant basil and some great garlic, plus a few store-bought pine nuts and olive oil, we enjoyed a fresh accent to fresh fish. For our first splash for the fish, we chose not to add the cheese ingredients.
One tip, add the cheeses just before you eat it. Since we had lots of basil, we multiplied this recipe by four. Oh, and this pesto is also fantastic on pasta for a fresh, aromatic taste as well.
1 bunch basil
1 garlic clove
2 Tblsp. pine nuts Coarse sea salt to taste.
1/3 cup mild grated pecorino 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan
3 Tblsp. extra virgin olive oil (very important to use good olive oil).
Wash the basil and drain it. We chopped ours in a blender, but a food processor can work as well. Add the garlic, pine nuts and a little salt. If you want the cheese, add it now, and then add olive oil gradually until you achieve a creamy texture and consistency. Because we didn't add the cheese until later, we found we needed to add a little more olive oil.
