The Purple Basil Pesto Experiment.

For many , Genovese pesto is the one and only recipe worthy of the name -- and many will be mad, often quite passionately, if it is used otherwise. However, hundreds of different types of pesto are available in all tastes, colors, and varieties -- and from the mouth of several chefs that I have worked with, it's perfectly acceptable to take the classic recipe as inspiration rather than the rule, and experiment with making all types of pesto. And as per all culinary rules -- what passionate cook isn't interested in playing with ingredients to create new dishes and delights and intriguing twists? So let's talk about basil -- the protagonist in pesto's universal story -- succulent, fragrant, leafy green basil. It happens that sometimes, cilantro, Tuscan kale, parsley, or dill are used to create an ‘alternate’ kind of pesto that’s ultimately still very green. Some pestos are red (pesto rosso) with a the addition of sun dried tomatoes and / or roasted red peppers, a Linosa pesto that uses a cheese-free sauce that includes lots of tomatoes, and even 'pesto agli agrumi' which is a citrusy pesto made with orange and lemon for the ultimate citrus smack. So while I know Italian chefs have created over 25 variations of the Genovese, it never occurred to me to experiment myself on something so precious, until in my recent routine trips to the local supermarket, where they had this amazing rack of purple ruffle basil (otherwise known as red basil). What color pesto would this awesome shade make? Ponder ponder. A little more pondering let me to a slightly revolutionary pesto-based idea when I got home -- since we're using purple basil instead of green, why not substitute all the other ingredients for their 'analogous' siblings? Purple pesto instead of green, shaved almonds instead of pine nuts, Egyptian Rumy cheese instead of Parmesan. Here I stood in front of this irresistible bouquet of purple basil, and then there I was, deciding on the spot that I’d be making purple pesto, just as my hand pulled two ruffly bunches off the rack... what could possibly go wrong?

... absolutely nothing. This was probably one of the best pesto sauces I've ever made -- same grainy texture as the usual pesto recipe, same pungent basil scent, same intoxicating cheesy-olive aroma mixed in with the basil’s, and the kick of garlic and chill combined. A delight, honestly, and strangely also not as purple in color as I expected (more greyish, with hints of purple and green here and there. So odd!). Enjoy this recipe on chicken, pasta, with potatoes -- knock yourself out!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh purple basil, packed

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2/3 cup olive oil

• 1/4 shaved almonds

• 1/4 cup Egyptian Rumy cheese

• 1/2 red chili pepper (optional)

• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Pulse all the ingredients in a blender or food processor a few times, then continuously until fully incorporated. Pause and scrape down the sides of the processor if necessary.

• Use in your dishes as you please, or store in an air-tight container in the fridge, or freeze. And that's it!