MINT PESTO

'A pesto is simply an uncooked or lightly cooked sauce that has been blended to a paste, traditionally made with a mortar and pestle,' writes Edward Giobbi in 'Pleasures of the Good Earth.Nowadays, using a food processor, you can make pestos very easily, and with fresh herbs at hand, you can produce a lovely, intense-tasting sauce in a matter of minutes to dress a pasta or enhance a dish of meat, poultry, or fish.12 cups fresh basil leaves 3 cups fresh mint, preferably spearmint 1/3 cup pine nuts 6 cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until just pureed; be careful not to overprocess. If you are using pesto as a sauce for pasta, thin it to the consistency of thin cream with a little of the pasta cooking water. To store, put the pesto in a jar, pour about 1/2 inch olive oil on top, cover tightly, and refrigerate (it will keep for up to 6 months). Makes 1 pint.