Summer B.B.Q Pesto Meat Patties

Finally, summer is here and the B.B.Q is at the top of the list for meal preparations. The burger pattie is a favorite for any summer gathering. The fragrance and delicate flavor of the patties will be a hit at any barbeque.

I like to add pesto sauce to minced buffalo, ground turkey or extra lean beef. You need not add anything else to the mixture just meat and pesto sauce and voila, you’ve got a winning summer burger. It’s that simple!

The Greeks called it the "royal herb" or as we know it, basil. Fresh basil has a wonderful pungent aroma and an incredible flavor that is a cross between licorice and cloves. Basil is commonly found with green leaves.

Pesto comes from the Italian word “pestare” that means to pound or to bruise. The traditional style of making pesto, and still the preferred method, is with a mortar and pestle. Herbalists recommend basil for nausea and motion sickness, because of basil's antispasmodic properties. Basil's strong taste promotes the production of saliva, which contains enzymes that initiate the digestive process.

Basil has a powerful essential oil that contains methyl chavicol. Fresh basil contains folic acid, and dried basil is a good source of potassium, iron and calcium. Dried basil is good for the respiratory system and can be used to treat nose and throat infections.

Basil exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, explaining its reputation as a folk remedy for the treatment of arthritis. In a manner similar to how aspirin works, the natural oil in basil called eugenol blocks an enzyme in the body called cyclooxygenase. This enzyme normally facilitates swelling.

Pine nuts are nature's only source of pinoleic acid, which stimulates hormones that diminish appetite. Pine nuts have the highest concentration of oleic acid. This is a monounsaturated fat that aids the liver in the elimination of harmful triglycerides from the body.

Pine nuts are packed with 3mg of iron per one ounce serving. Iron is a key component of hemoglobin, which transfers oxygen throughout the body. Pine nuts are also rich in magnesium which is known to alleviate muscle cramps, tension and fatigue.

If you’re in a hurry and have no time to make your own pesto sauce from scratch, there are a wide variety of bottled pestos’ in the supermarket. Be sure to read the labels carefully as you want to find the highest quality ingredients without preservatives or added sugar.

Pesto Sauce Recipe (makes approx. one cup)

• 4 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves wash, dried with stems removed
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts (pignolia)
• Dash of sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Add the garlic to the food processor and mince. Next, add the basil leaves, pine nuts, and a dash of salt and pepper to the bowl of the processor. While the processor is running, slowly drizzle in olive oil through the feed tube until all the ingredients are pureed. You can also use a blender to make this recipe.

You may need to stop the processor/blender at this point and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula to get everything mixed together. Add Parmesan cheese and mix it into the rest of the mixture. If the pesto is too thick, add a touch of water or olive oil.

Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use it. This should keep for 2 - 3 days in the fridge but freezes well if you want to keep it longer.

Add one cup of pesto sauce to one pound ground meat, roll and press into burger patties. You can double or triple this recipe if need be for more meat.

You can also make meatballs with this recipe and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Left over patties are delicious snacks anytime of the day, hot or cold. Meatballs are also great to take along for a summer picnic!

Photo by Sheila Pedraza Burk from Burst

Bon Appetite!...TKH