I have a love/hate relationship with Basil Pesto. When it’s freshly made, it’s heady – the vibrancy, the aroma, the freshness. But it very quickly degrades into something that’s too strong, too dark. Icky. Which is why I started making basil pesto in the mortar and pestle, just enough pesto for whatever dish I was making. I still use the small batch approach when I need to, using basil from the grocery store.

However, I’ve found that using this big batch approach in the summer, when the garden is overflowing with basil, and then freezing the pesto, works really well. I use the food processor, but I’m careful not to over process. I like some chunkiness to it – the garlic, the basil, the cheese, each still present in the mix.

To keep it as vibrant as possible, I use half-pint jars, and cover the pesto with a layer of oil before stashing it in the freezer. This works for me because the basil doesn’t get a chance to oxidize, and I only pull out one jar at a time, a small enough quantity that it doesn’t last long after it’s been opened. And I still use the mortar and pestle late in the winter, after I’ve pulled that last jar out of the freezer.