Pesto is the general name for a (usually thick) sauce used to flavor anything from toasted bread to fish to pasta. You can rub or spoon it over grilled meats and vegetables or you can stir it into soups and stews.

Classic Italian pesto is made with fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan and olive oil. You can experiment with the proportions to find your favorite, but here's the general ratio:

2 cups packed basil leaves
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 small clove garlic
1/4 cup olive oil

Purée the first four ingredients together in a food processor and then drizzle in the olive oil while running the machine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and you're done.

Using the proportions above as a starting point, keep in mind the general formula for pesto:

herb + hard cheese + nut + onion/aromatic + oil

Experiment with less classic combinations to make a delicious sauce using whatever you have on hand. Here are a few suggestions:

basil + pecorino + walnuts + olive oil + garlic
parsley + parmesan + pine nuts + olive oil + garlic
cilantro + manchego + almonds + olive oil + garlic

Making and freezing pesto is a great way to use up an abundance of late summer herbs.

Recipe: Mint Pesto (Cookthink)
Recipe: Garlic Scape Pesto (VeganYumYum)
Recipe: Broccoli Pesto (Ann Cooper)