BASIL MAYONNAISE

This basil mayonnaise is a gorgeous green and tastes superb! So summery and full of the bright basil flavour that enhances any summer vegetable, especially when simply prepared by steaming. Pair with a light crisp rosé and some fresh bread for an easy meal.

Although mayonnaise can be made in a food processor, whisking by hand gives you more control over it and will help prevent it from breaking. It will also build excellent arm strength! 

Basil Mayonnaise

makes: approximately 1 cup

- 2 egg yolks

- 1 tsp salt

- juice of 1 lemon

- 1 cup neutral oil (rice bran, safflower, sunflower, or any other neutral oil - not olive oil)

- 1/2 cup packed basil leaves

- 1/2 cup packed parsley leaves

1. Make the basil oil: Put the parsley and basil leaves into a blender jar (not a food processor) and pour 3/4 cups of the oil over the leaves. Blend until smooth. Strain the oil into a bowl using a fine-mesh strainer or a chinois, pressing the solids down to get all the oil out.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt until pale yellow and slightly thickened. Start adding the basil oil in a thin stream, whisking continuously until the mixture starts to thicken and fluffs up. If it gets too thick and hard to whisk before most of the oil is used up, add 1 tbsp. lemon juice and carry on whisking while adding oil. Whisk until the oil is incorporated into the mix and you have a fluffy mayonnaise. Over-whisking will break the mayo! If that happens, you'll have to either start over or salvage it using another egg yolk, a clean bowl, and a lot more whisking while gradually adding the broken mayo! Try to avoid breaking the mayo :-)
3. Enjoy immediately with steamed or roasted vegetables or seafood, or in any way you wish. Refrigerate leftovers for a few weeks.

PEACH, BASIL, AND RICOTTA CROSTINI

The juicy simplicity of summer!

Peach, Basil, and Ricotta Crostini
Servings: makes about 30 crostini

- 1 sourdough baguette, sliced

- 3-4 medium sized ripe peaches or nectarines, cut into 1/8 in. slices

- 15 oz. (425 g) ricotta cheese (I use whole milk ricotta)
- 1 bunch or 30-40 leaves, fresh basil

- 1-1/4 tsp. freshly ground coarse black pepper
- 1 tbsp. lemon rind

- 1 small lemon, juiced

- 3/4 - 1 tsp. salt

- 1 tbsp. brandy or cognac (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.

2. Toast the sliced bread for 7 - 10 minutes, or until just dry and crisp.

3. In a roomy bowl, mix well the ricotta, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon rind, and brandy/cognac if using.

4. Take the bread out of the oven and let ir cool for 1-2 minutes.

5. Assemble the crostini: on each slice, stack a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture, 1-2 leaves of basil, 1-2 peach slices.

6. Finish with freshly ground black pepper and a light sprinkle of salt if needed.

Notes:

1. You could do a few spring and summer fruit/vegetable-herb combinations, really... cherry-mint, strawberry-mint/basil, cucumber-dill/basil/cilantro, mango-mint/basil, thinly sliced kumquats-parsley, fresh figs-basil, chives-lemon-olives...