Basil Pistou from Julia Child
This is an old recipe that’s been removed from my site, but I am keeping the printer-friendly version of the recipe here in case anyone was a fan. You can check out Basil Pesto with Lemon or Cooking with Fresh Basil if you’re a big fresh basil fan.
(Recipe amounts make about 1 cup of pistou.)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves (very firmly packed into measuring cup)
- 3 T chopped fresh garlic (or use garlic puree from a jar, although Julia would probably not approve)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt to taste (I used about 1 tsp.)
Instructions:
- Wash and dry basil leaves and put in food processor. (This sauce can also be made with in small batches in a mortar and pestle if you’re feeling ambitious.)
- Add garlic and salt and process until basil is finely chopped (close to a minute, depending on your food processor.)
- Add oil and process only a few pulses (or remove the chopped basil to a bowl and stir in the oil, which is what I would do if I was only making one batch.)
- Place pistou into individual freezer-proof plastic containers with a tight lid. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the top of the pistou in each container.
- I recommend putting a label and the date on things you put in the freezer, even if you’re “sure” you will remember what it is!
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37 Comments on “Basil Pistou from Julia Child”
I make kale pistou! My neighbor saw a recipe for it. We are dairy free, so cheese wasn't an option. I use walnuts to make it pesto-like! Tastes just as good as basil… though I wouldn't have believed it! My kale grows like crazy! I'm going to try a mixture of basil and kale this year. Good nutrition too! We use it on baked haddock with lemon drizzled liberally!
I like that idea; I think I have to try it!
Kathleen, answered above for another reader: I bought those containers more than 10 years ago at Fred Meyer (now Smith Marketplace) in Salt Lake. I've never seen them anywhere else since then. (Thank goodness I did buy several packages of them!)
Sorry!
I'd really like to get some freezer containers like your; can you let me know where to purchase? Thanks.
Anonymous, if you trim the basil stalks and leave some lower leaves, you should be able to nurture the plants back to health. Hope so!
I'd also like to thank you for your methods of measuring and freezing basil. I am hoping to salvage some of my herbs today. I was in the hospital for five days, somewhat unexpectedly…came home yesterday and the plants do not look so good. So I will use these techniques. Wish me luck.
Richelle, wish I could get more of them, but I bought those containers more than 10 years ago at Fred Meyer (now Smith Marketplace) in Salt Lake. I've never seen them anywhere else since then. (Thank goodness I did buy several packages of them!)
Kalyn…where did you get your freezer containers? They are the PERFECT size for this!
Kalyn, thanks for posting this. I've actually never heard of pistou until now, but it looks delicious. Another way to use it might be on a whole wheat pizza crust with reduced-fat mozzarella and fresh tomatos. A lot of pizza places here in LA make 'pesto pizza.' I love your recipes! Right in line with my low GI diet.
Got an excellent tip here! Drizzling olive oil on top to keep them from turning dark when frozen. Didn't know about that one, that's certainly handy. Thanks so much!
I love this. I have to make some and freeze it. This is always so convenient in the winter.
great idea to make pistou! I usually make pesto, but lately, I have had several soup recipes that call for a pistou finish. The last one used mint and parsley, your post has given me the idea to whip up some of that for the freezer too!
Maris right now my garden is amazingly full of weeds, but the herbs don't seem to mind!
Your garden must be amazing! Looks like such beautiful, fresh basil. I really need to start an herb garden!
The wonderful thing about pesto/pistou is that you can use it as a "template".
After you learn the basic recipe, you can then begin to branch out in other directions.
The basic template is herb or greens, nuts, cheese, garlic and good-quality olive oil. Some variations include citrus in the form of lemon juice or zest. So if you don't have basil, you could for example, use mint, arugula or garlic scapes. In place of pine nuts, walnuts or pistachios are wonderful. Cheese could be Parm-Reg, pecorino or grana padano.
One variation I regularly make is ramps pesto. When ramps are in season, from late March through mid- to late-May, I buy a couple of pounds and use half for pesto. Keeps for up to three weeks refrigerated or may be frozen for a longer period. If you do freeze it, add the cheese prior to using.
Absolutely perfect timing! I was planning on harvesting another batch of basil this weekend for pesto, but this is an even better idea!
This is a great way to preserve basil for winter. I also do my cilantro the same way. It's wonderful when summer is just a memory.
Joanne, farmers market????
Margaret, lucky you (and my pleasure to include your soup!)
TW, have to admit I was surprised at how many variations there were, but I went for the pure version!
Katerine, perfect for that!
Sealharvey, what a thrill! Thanks for sharing the memory.
Love basil. The smell wakes me right up. I sponsored a book signing with Julia Child. Not only was she particularly nice to every single person. She also stayed extra and when leaving was approached by
a late customer and again took the time to be kind. She had the biggest turnout of any writer that I sponsored. Seriously lines right out the door.
I sometimes make pistou in the spring and stir it into vegetable soup. Delicious!
I had pistou in a soup last week and was asking myself the same question! Thanks for clearing this up – I am going to grab a bunch more basil at the farm next week and give this a shot.
I've already harvested my basil twice this season, and it's ready for another picking. Thanks for this recipe. (and for the link)
Peggy
I really like anything pesto-like. I keep kicking myself for not stocking up on basil yet and making massive batches of pesto to freeze!
Nutrid1, basil is easy to grow from seed. I plant a few plants for some early basil and then plant rows of seeds. The only painful part is thinning the little baby plants. If you use seeds, you can have armloads of basil for little cost.
Dhanggit, thanks. Don't you just love the smell of fresh-picked basil?
Oh I love that healthy green look of your basil. So rich in vitamins and yumminess! What a great entry for WHB! Thanks 🙂
Pistou or pesto, it sure is nice to use in a soup in the middle of winter.
You sure have lots of fresh basil in your garden. Nest year, I'll plant more basil…
Dara, the basil is doing pretty well. My garden is finally getting going, but there are so many weeds!
Chris, I'm guessing I have about 30 plants. I start a lot of them from seed, highly recommend it!
Daisy, I've been doing it for years.
Lydia, can't wait to use this in winter.
Kevin, works very well.
Frieda, I agree, that bugs me in a recipe too!
Linda, very similar!
Meghan, perfect for you. Get freezing!
Amy, here's the information on how to freezer fresh basil. You coat the chopped basil with olive oil.
Poulsen family, perfect for nut allergies.
Thanks for sharing that, my son is allergic to nuts and I never realized there was another version without nuts, I'll have to try that out.
Hi Kalyn,
Can you tell me how you freeze fresh basil?? I thought if you didn't make it into a pesto or sauce it would turn brown.
I made my pesto pretty traditionally this year – toasted walnuts & pinenuts, parm, olive oil. It's spicy and rich…just incredibly delicious.
This is very funny because I made a Pistou Pizza this past weekend! I'm allergic to pinenuts so pistou is a better option for me than traditional pesto! Thank you for this post, it reminds me I need to start freezing down my basil plant 🙂
Never knew of pistou only pesto, but basil either way.
Thank you for the 'measurement' of basil! I have seen so many recipes that called for 1 lb. or 2 oz….I don't have an accurate scale and one pound sounds like a lot! Also, thanks for the tips on cutting and freezing~
This is the first that I have heard of a pistou sauce but it sounds like a great way to enjoy some basil!
I love having fundamental sauces like this in my freezer. Come the middle of winter, there are so many ways to use it, and it feels like a treat to have the fresh taste of basil from the garden when there's snow on the ground.
Hmmm…freezing fresh basil. I could do that! I've tried bringing my herb plants indoors in the fall, but they never seem to survive the transition.
Good idea. I only have 7 basil plants this year, so I won't have anything left over to save. I'm picking those poor things dry:)
Wow, what a basil crop you have! I'd be quite happy to drizzle this pistou straight into my mouth, but more traditional uses are also very appealing.