Garden Fresh Dinner + Drinks
I love the fresh flavors of the season, even more so when I can create a meal from something I grew in my own garden. Basil thrives in our area, and lots of us grow WAY more than we need. How many Caprese salads can you eat? (Well, a lot, but still…) Enter, pesto. It’s fresh, delicious, and best of all for summer, super easy to make.
From my little herb garden…
Of course a recipe from me would not be complete with an accompanying cocktail or two. My Citrus Lady and Banana Mango Daiquiri recipes will transport you to the tropics, and their fresh flavors are perfect pre-dinner complement to the garden-fresh pesto.
Fresh, Delicious, and Easy Pesto
3 large cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of pine nuts
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 cups fresh basil, loosely packed
2/3 cup of virgin olive oil
With food processor running, drop in garlic, and finely chop. Stop motor, add nuts, cheese, salt, pepper, and basil. Process until finely chopped. With motor running, add olive oil, blending until incorporated. Serve over pasta.
Banana Mango Daiquiris
2 cups chopped ripe mango (1 to 2 mangos peeled and seeded)
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4 limes)
1/4 cup simple syrup (see note)
1 1/4 cups dark rum (Mount Gay is best)
Mango slices, for serving
Mint, for garnish
Place the mango, banana, lime juice, simple syrup, and rum in a blender and process until smooth. Add 2 cups of ice and process again until smooth and thick. Serve ice cold in a highball glasses with a slice of mango.
To make simple syrup, heat 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves. Chill.
Citrus Lady
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice (1 grapefruit)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)
1 cup good vodka (Grey Goose, my favorite)
Extra lemon juice
Granulated sugar
Fresh mint sprigs
Dip the rims of four martini glasses first in dish with lemon juice and then in a dish with sugar. Set aside to dry. I place the martini glasses in the freezer before serving.
Combine orange juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and vodka in a pitcher. When ready to serve, place ice in a cocktail shaker, and, after passing the cocktail mixture through a sieve so it won’t clog the shaker’s holes, fill shaker three-quarters full, and shake about 30 seconds. It is important to shake the full 30 seconds to get the drink very cold and dilute it slightly with the ice. Pour into the sugared martini glasses and garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve ice cold.
- About the boutique
Using the soothing color palette of a coconut by the sea—whites, neutrals and splashes of turquoise—Coco Blanca has created a trademark look. Her lifestyle boutique offers expert solutions for home design and women’s fashion—blending a clean, fresh, sophisticated, feel-good style.
210 South Union Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.535.8002
