herbfan3
Florida
Posts: 24
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| Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 3:40 pm Post subject: Basil questions- how to preserve it and use it in cooking? |
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What is the best way to preserve basil and what are some favorite recipes?
Just started growing herbs and love it. They are exciting plants. I get the best information about them from forums. Very Happy
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Sonny Chenoweth
More herb garden information
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chattemao
China
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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fired pumpkin or tufu , add lot of basil at the ending of your cooking , it will make your disk tastes wonderful
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brombear
Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 58
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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you could try preserving it in oil- olive would work well on flavour- as it works for pesto. A dark glass jar is better than clear as many chemical constituents inc flavour and nutritional profile are degraded by uv light
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Pricklypear
Southern Arizona
Posts: 175
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| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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I like basil and use it a lot in the summer in salads and tomato dishes.
I love pesto. I make it in 1 cup batches and freeze it. I put the pesto into zip lock sandwich bags and then put those into a gallon bag. It's wonderful in January and you can hardly tell the difference from fresh.
I also freeze basil in ice cube trays for soups and stews. Just put diced basil in an ice cube tray, pour in some water and freeze. I find that 1 ice cube tray full is plenty to get me through the winter. I put two cubes to a zip sandwich bag and again put the small bags into a larger one.
You can dry basil. I just don't bother.
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mibus2
East Texas
Posts: 58
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| Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 12:50 am Post subject: |
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I use herbs also most of the time fresh but I usually pick several stems when wanting to save some for winter and tie a string around the bottom of the stems and hang it up upside down to dry ...when dried out I take the leaves off and crumble them up for crushed basil,
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crystalblueatmosphere
NH
Posts: 32
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| Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 2:07 am Post subject: |
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I agree with pricklypear I like to freeze them in ice cubes, that last much longer and all you have to do is thaw it when you're ready to use it. Making flavored oils also works great, I like having a variety of oils instead of just olive oil.
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Kay
Lincoln, Nebraska
Posts: 1114
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| Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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Oh yes, Basil! delicious... I use it fresh as much as I can, cut before it flowers to get the best flavor. I also cut, tie and hang to dry, then crumble and store in airtight glass containers.
I love to make "Boboli Bread pizzas" Brush olive oil on the small Bobloi bread (or similar) then top with thin sliced tomato (fresh from garden too  ) Top that with mozzerella cheese and fresh basil. Bake 450 for 10 min. Delish!
A sunny window is great for growing Basil all year round!
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Kay
To love what you do, and feel that it matters - how could anything be more fun?
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Biita
Norway
Posts: 2048
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| Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Herbfan! I also am an herb fanatic. You can do the above ways, oil, made into pesto, freezing. But don't forget drying it. there is a way to save the flavor when drying. Cut your stems, and make little bouquets, tie some string or yarn,,i prefer yarn because it is a natural fiber and breaths. Rap that around your bundles and hang up to dry. To much light you say. No dark area's....no problem,,get a paper lunch bag and cover the bundles. or if they are really huge bundles meaning long ways, then a shopping paper bag,,,place over the bundle and tie. loosly. this will give the herbs the darkness they need to keep the flavor and also will help keep dust off as well as catching any of the herb that happens to fall off.
favorite way to eat basil...hmmm hard one there. but i would have to say, slice of good homemade bread, or foccocia, sea salt, pepper, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, sliced black olives and feta crumbled on top,,place in the broiler until it starts to turn brown. After you take it out, drizzle some garlic oil over it or any of your homemade herb oils,,and enjoy! The best part is you do not have to cook it so makes a great summer sandwich for the hot days too.
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