RED, WHITE, BLUE...& GREEN:

Pestos make the most of fresh herbs for summer dinners (J.M. HIRSCH, 6/27/07, The Associated Press)

Pesto is a great way to make the most of fresh herbs.

Though traditional pestos generally involve basil – which is pureed with Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and garlic to make a thick sauce for pasta – just about any fresh herb works fine.

And if you’re going to swap out the herb, you might as well tinker with the other ingredients, too. Using the same basic pesto formula (4 ounces of cheese, 2 cups packed fresh herbs and ½ cup nuts or seeds), tinker with complimentary ingredients, such as parsley, walnuts and feta. Or dandelion greens, almonds and pecorino.