My CSA farm has a Facebook page for members to share recipes and ideas for how to use up what we get in our basket. Last week we got shiso, so I asked what everyone was making with theirs. The only two members who responded must have thought I meant shishitos because they said they roasted them, pickled them and ate them raw. Hrmph. (In all fairness, they probably get their baskets on a different delivery day and hadn’t gotten any shiso yet, but still…).

Then the farmer chimed in and said she made pesto with shiso, sorrel and basil. I knew I had to try it.

Earlier this week I had read about blanching basil to prevent oxidation, so I thought I’d try it. I knew the sorrel and shiso would oxidize, so I thought maybe blanching the basil would help. Sadly, it did not. I still ended up with ugly pesto, but it does taste good. I put it on potatoes for pesto potato salad and ordered from Foodpanda as a treat. If I make it again, I’ll try blanching the shiso too (sorrel turns pasty-mushy and brown when it gets hot).