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We hope you enjoyed our 3-part video series on local, organic, and sustainable food in San Diego! Now for something a little different: a cooking segment that shows you how to make one of my favorite dishes, classic Ligurian pesto.

I can’t be around sage leaves without manhandling them. Rubbing a few suede-like leaves between my fingers is like my own personal herbal perfume for the day. Fresh basil in the summer; smokey thyme in the fall; piney rosemary in the winter. Fresh herbs make me want to cook, including in the raw, like ripe summer tomatoes with a sprinkling of mint, basil, or chives; a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a splash of vinegar or spritz of lemon, and a little sea salt. Add a tear of crusty bread. Done: perfect summer snack. Here, 20 recipes to inspire you with fresh herbs.

First of all, what is pesto alla trapanese? The word “trapanese” means “of Trapani,”
a town on the northwest coast of Sicily. Most people are familiar with the typical Ligurian pesto: lots of basil, olive oil, parmigiano reggiano, pine nuts, and garlic. Historically, Genovese (Ligurian) ships would stop in Trapani on their way to and from the Far East. They brought pesto, and Sicilians altered the recipe by using local ingredients, namely tomatoes and almonds. Although there is basil in the trapanese recipe, it is more a supporting character than the star, and the dish has
a subtle and satisfying appeal.