I do love summer, I love it when it's warm, I love it when everyone complains that it really is too hot and love it when my pots of herbs are in full bloom.
My mother has always had a large bed of wild thyme, in one corner of her garden. Well, it was originally wild, having been pulled out of the forest and replanted, now that it is nurtured and watered daily, I am not so sure it can still be called wild... Anyway, she always cut the tips off to add fresh leaves to salads, but before the end of summer she would allow it to flower and finally cut off all the stems leaving them to dry in the sun. She would pick the dried leaves and buds and take them to the mill to grind and sift them to get fragrant powder which she would use to make zaatar.
And this is exactly what I have done (on a much smaller scale) with the marjoram growing in my garden; I divided my crop in two batches, one to dry and keep and the other to make marjoram pesto. Maria has tweaked and refined an absolutely wonderful recipe, here is another variation.
Marjoram
Aromatic Marjoram Pesto
1 handful of mint
1 handful of marjoram
1 handful of fresh thyme
1 handful of oregano
60 g of pine nuts, sautéed in a pan
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
chilli flakes
15 g of capers in salt
6 tbsp extra virgin oil
40 g freshly grated Parmesan
extra virgin oil and Parmesan to serve
salt
In a mixer, blend together mint, marjoram, thyme, oregano, pine nuts, garlic, tomato paste, capers, oil and chilli. Put the mixture in a bowl and add the cheese.
Mix well and let it rest for at least 1 hour, room temperature.
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