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| Mixed Basil Leaves from the Garden |
Sometimes we need a little inspiration when we are cooking. This post has no specific recipe, but a few good ideas for using whole, fresh Basil leaves in your dishes and some tips on how to store it to maximize the freshness and maintain the flavour.
First off, there are several types of Basil and each plant has its own unique flavour profile. This year I grew 9 varieties of Basil from a total of 24 herbs.
I love my spices but my absolute favourites to use are from the Basil family, Lemon, Aristotle (Boxwood), Italian Sweet and Thai Basils especially.
When we buy Basil in a grocery store, they don't offer the same selection but the dried herb usually has a sweet, peppery flavour and the freshness and flavour intensity depends on how long it has been stored.
I love my spices but my absolute favourites to use are from the Basil family, Lemon, Aristotle (Boxwood), Italian Sweet and Thai Basils especially.
When we buy Basil in a grocery store, they don't offer the same selection but the dried herb usually has a sweet, peppery flavour and the freshness and flavour intensity depends on how long it has been stored.
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| Lemon Basil |
A natural use for all Basils, for me, are to use the full leaves and add them into a Salad or Soup to brighten things up. Add a leaf or two to a sandwich to add flavour and the full leaves may be used as a garnish to dress up a plate or to enhance the finished dish you have made.
I'm giving you a few examples of ingredients for Salads and a few other meal ideas you can use fresh Basil leaves in. With luck these ideas will inspire your own creations. Please Note: I did not have the opportunity to write out measurements or take pictures of all the dishes I am discussing today, as I was just REALLY busy with the garden and making what I could with what we grew. I even made my own Tomato Sauces from scratch this year. However, I'd like to share these ideas with you! A little inspiration for your own cooking.
Examples of Ingredients for Salads:
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| Garden Fresh Tomatoes |
Fresh Cherry Tomatoes
Lemon Basil Leaves
Sweet Italian Basil Leaves
Red Rubin Basil Leaves (Adds Colour)
Chopped Cucumber (Cut to roughly the size of the Cherry Tomatoes)
Walnut or Olive Oil
Sprinkle with Sesame Seeds, Salt and Pepper
Chunky Garden Tomato Salad
Fresh Roma Tomatoes (1" Thick Slices)
Sweet Italian Basil Leaves
Iceberg Lettuce, Roughly Chopped
Iceberg Lettuce, Roughly Chopped
Cucumber (Cut to roughly the size of the Roma Tomatoes)
Celery Stalk Cut to 1/2 " Thick Slices)
Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper
Add the Full Leaf to a Sandwich
Add the Full Leaf to a SandwichAdd the full leaves to a Chicken, BLT or a Club Sandwich, it adds a little zing when you bite into it. I still eat bread but make my own and use Whole Wheat flour as the base. For these BLTs, I used Garden Lettuce Greens, Fresh Tomato, Smoked Bacon and African Blue Basil Leaves.
Here are a few other ideas:
Basil Leaves can be used whole on a Pizza. We made a variation of a Thin Crust Pizza this summer and substituted the Spinach from this recipe with Sweet Italian Basil Leaves.
The results were phenomenal. We didn't use Dried Basil in the Oil, just Garlic and Oregano. Additionally, you can use the full leaf when you make a lasagna or add it to your pasta whether you use it in the sauce or incorporate it right into the dough while you are creating it.
Spinach Pasta - Substitute Basil Leaves for the Spinach Leaves, all else in the Recipe is the same.
Spinach Pasta - Substitute Basil Leaves for the Spinach Leaves, all else in the Recipe is the same.
Lemon, Thai and/or Sweet Italian Basil, stems and leaves can be used to dress a Fish prior to baking.
Use Cinnamon Basil as an ingredient when making Chilli, plus use it as a garnish when Serving.
Thai Basil has a Liquorice flavour as well as the Peppery finish of Basil. It goes well with many French or Italian dishes.
Thai Basil has a Liquorice flavour as well as the Peppery finish of Basil. It goes well with many French or Italian dishes.
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| Sweet Italian Basil for Freezing |
There you have it, a few ideas for using Fresh Basil leaves, now how to store them.
If you purchase the Basil Leaves from a Grocery Store, DO NOT place them in the refrigerator. Take the cuttings from the packaging and slice the ends off with a sharp knife, place the ends in a cup filled with cool water, just like you would fresh cut flowers. You can leave the Basil cuttings out for several days and pinch the leaves from the top as you use the plant.You can freeze the whole leaves for use at a later time too. After cutting and washing the Basil, gently dry with a clean cloth or paper towel, place them in a freezer bag and gently press down on the bag to remove the air prior to freezing. This will preserve the flavours and you can add the Basil to a Dish you are cooking at a later time.
I am writing a post on how to dry your own Herbs currently. It will be a day or three before I finish it up, but you can check back this week to read up on how to dry herbs and retain their flavours, if you so desire. Have a wonderful week!
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