(failed) foodage : un-pesto

or, basil + tomato couscous.


my failed - and tasty - attempt at making pesto
and my attempt to post larger photos.*

so i had an ambition to make pesto for the past week or so, but didn't think not owning either a food processor or mortar/pestle set were at all drawbacks to my scheme.

actually, i was wrong. really, you need either one or the other of those items, or at least a blender. hence, my failed attempt.

i tried to do it anyways. i followed the basic proportions provided in a recipe for arugula pesto by clotilde on her well-known blog, chocolate & zucchini, with some modifications:

• instead of arugula, i used normal basil
• instead of pine nuts (which, outside of pesto, i have little taste for), i used almonds.

but really, chopping all of that up with a cleaver (the chinese cook's blade of choice) and then trying to mash it all together w/ a spoon really doesn't work well. i suppose i could've tried smashing it w/ the flat side of my blade or used a meat tenderizer, but didn't think of those alternatives at the time.

i found, though, that it actually turned out pretty well anyways. once i got over the fact that it was NOT pesto but a sort of chopped basil concoction, i mixed it w/ my couscous and diced tomatoes (w/ a bit of lemon juice) and had a tasty (and quick) dinner.

the final result (sans subsequent veggies), packed for lunch tomorrow

ah well. i'll get back into the cooking swing of things and make something legitimate soon. until then...failure at least tastes good :]

* i am far from being a real food photographer, but i keep at it anyways. food looks better when it's big.