Place garlic cloves in a blender with 1/4 cup olive oil. Purée briefly. Add lemon juice and salt. Rinse the basil, pat dry, and add to blender or food processor. Pulse several times. Scrape down sides well; add toasted nuts and parsley and continue to process until all the basil has been well chopped. Add cheese and pulse to combine.

Add olive oil in a thin stream while processing until desired consistency has been achieved. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.

Serve over your favorite pasta or seafood.

Tip: After basil is rinsed and patted dry, place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 20 seconds; the basil will retain most of its bright green color.

Here is a recipe for grilled Gulf shrimp using this sauce.