Pesto alla genovese, made with basil and pine nuts, is the original pesto, and it is justly famous. I am nothing if not a traditionalist when it comes to Italian cooking, so any variations have to be justified and make sense to me before I will give them any credence.
This pesto, with parsley, sage, and almonds, is worthy and goes a long way to dress up simple meats like these pork chops. Brining is another American cooking technique that I came to appreciate very slowly, but I will selectively use it on lean cuts of meat (like pork chops) and whole chicken, where it does help keep them moist after cooking.
Recipe from “Super Tuscan. Heritage Recipes and Simple Pleasures from our Kitchen to Your Table”, Touchstone. Photography by Eric Wolfinger.