By The September Memphis trip wrapped Sunday. Brayden is one hundred and one weeks old. The third Honeysuckle Drive stay was the small textured-revisit of the established-pattern. The cookbook proof-copy arrived at the apartment Friday while we were away — Aunt Linda picked it up at the door and set it on the kitchen counter for us. The proof is the first physical version of the catering-cookbook to exist outside of my computer.
The pesto dipping oil is the small Cody-cafe-bread accompaniment — high-quality olive oil infused with pesto-purée, lemon-zest, red-pepper flakes, sea salt. The oil is served in a small ramekin with fresh-baked bread for dipping. The format is the Italian-style-bread-and-oil service that Cody had been wanting to bring to the cafe.
The technique question on a dipping oil is the oil-quality and the flavor-balance. The base needs to be a good extra-virgin olive oil (the cafe’s standard service-grade oil works but a slightly nicer oil makes a noticeable difference in the dipping-application). The pesto is the small punctuation rather than the bulk of the oil — about a tablespoon of pesto per half cup of oil. The lemon-zest and red-pepper-flakes are the bright-and-warm finishing-touches.
Sunday I made a small jar of the oil at the apartment. The recipe is going to the cafe Wednesday for Mama’s consideration as a small new bread-service.
The blog’s small Sunday-publish rhythm continues. The catering business has been the small foreground of the small year’s work. The cookbook in its small online-store. The small recurring-clients (Singh family, Yates family, the corporate-luncheon brokerage) anchor the small reliable-revenue stream. The small one-off-jobs round out the small income.
Carol Bryant has been on the small Friday-call rhythm. Carol calls at five PM Tulsa time (six PM Memphis time). The call lasts twenty minutes. The conversation moves through Brayden, the small Bryant-cookbook collaboration, the small Memphis-news. The small grandmother-relationship continues to deepen.
Pesto Dipping Oil
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts (or walnuts)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Crusty bread or focaccia, for serving
Instructions
- Prep the basil. Wash and thoroughly dry the fresh basil leaves. Pat dry with a paper towel — any excess moisture will dilute the oil.
- Toast the nuts. In a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the pine nuts for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Combine in a bowl. In a wide, shallow serving bowl, add the olive oil, minced garlic, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
- Chiffonade the basil. Stack the basil leaves, roll them tightly, and slice into thin ribbons. Scatter the basil and toasted nuts over the oil mixture.
- Rest and serve. Let the oil sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve immediately with sliced crusty bread or focaccia for dipping.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 130 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 1g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 75mg