D e l i s i o u c i t y

A quick post to say that I’m still around! It had been a busy term for me at uni, having to prepare for my thesis proposal defense. I apologize to you all & hope you haven’t scrapped me off your bookmarked pages list.. not just yet! I was practically inundated in books & keeping my confidence up.. after all, exams are never easy, especially the oral exams kind ^_^ I’m happy to report that I have survived this one, and will be heading home soon to carry out *fieldwork*.

So enough about that. I know that my last post was last year, so let me just say happy (belated) new year to you! How have things been so far? It’s already April now and sometimes I cannot believe how fast (and yet slow) time goes by. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but that’s how I feel. Sundays come and go so quickly and yet when you are waiting for something to happen, it can feel like forever.

But not pesto, apparently! I think it’s ridiculous that only now have I had the inclination to try making my own! And it. Is. Simply. Amazing. Bottom line is, it is so quick & easy to make:

Simple pesto
By Nikki A., www.delisioucity.com
Ingredients
3 packets of fresh basil (or a few good bunches)
A handful of pine nuts, toasted
A handful of cashew nuts, also toasted
About 100ml (or more) of fine quality extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
About 140gm of hard cheese (usually parmesan. I used a vegetarian substitute)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Wash the basil, and toast the nuts lightly with no oil, on a hot frying pan. Add all of the ingredients in a food processor and blitz away, adding more olive oil as needed so you get a nice pesto consistency.

Toasted nuts. I may have left them on the pan too long.. eep!

I managed to make a bagful of pesto and have been trying it out with all sorts of things… most notably, as a pasta sauce, and the classic mozzarella/pesto (or just basil)/tomato salad ensemble. It is just so divine, I seriously feel like I have wasted all these years not knowing the beauty of basil. (ok, maybe that’s a bit over the top). Anyhow, the pictures you see here show the yummiest salad ever,..because they’re so very fatty. I was inspired by Jamie Oliver’s 30-minute meal where he was shown tearing apart a ball of creamy mozzarella, and topped them off with store-bought pesto. Of course, that’s only because it’s a 30-minute meal programme and it’s ok. But just like those pancake mix that you can get at the store, do NOT buy bottled pesto as they can be quite vile *_*

Isn’t she a thing of beauty?! This salad is so sweet and flavourful. Finish off your presentation
with a drizzle of olive oil.

Here’s one of a quick and easy chicken pesto pasta! Just cook with oil, garlic, and slices of chicken breast. Then mix in.

Hey, pesto pasta!

You might notice that lately, whenever I do update a post that is, it’s always something quick and simple to whip up. Like.. can you count the number of pasta dishes I’ve featured so far…? -_- Ahh but they’re really filling and satisfying. I might just show you my hips to prove how much pasta has been a savior to me!

Luscious carbs~

So yes I hope you try out the pesto recipe. I know it can be a challenge to find basil in Brunei, but elsewhere in UK it should be easy. If you’re reading this from Brunei, do try out how Thai sweet basil work out as a pesto.. In fact our good comrade Thanis, from the blog linked on the sidebar here (labeled cookiemonster), once posted up some purple basil of some sort that he found at the local market. Wonder how that would turn out – as I love visual feasts, just for the opportunity they provide for photography!

”It’s not easy being green” – Kermit the Frog.
(Whaaat? Everybody seems to be quoting someone these days.. I might as well!)

See you again soon ^_^

nikki