Guide to Cooking with Fresh Herbs

Basil

Guide to Cooking with Fresh Herbs

Basil is the only herb that perfectly captures the flavor of summer. The classic sweet Genovese basil that serves as the foundation of every delectable pesto is only one option; other types include Thai basil, which has overtones of anise, and opal basil, which has gorgeous maroon leaves.

Culinary Uses: Make your own pesto if you have a lot of basil on hand! When summer is done, you may freeze the pesto in ice cube trays and use the blocks to flavor soup or to top pasta. Fresh basil is at its peak and goes well with almost everything, including meat and seafood. Use it to top pizzas and salads that have just come out of the oven.

Prep: Basil is prone to bruising. The leaves should ideally be torn or chopped very coarsely. You may slice the delicate stems near the top of the plant and use them in soups. In the direction of the root end, the plant’s bigger stems are woody and less delicious.

Storage: Basil should not be kept in the refrigerator since the cold will cause it to wilt; instead, place the root ends in a small cup of water with a plastic bag loosely covering it on your kitchen counter. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. Basil leaves should first be blanched and dried before being put in the freezer. By doing this, they won’t become black. Use a dehydrator or lay the basil leaves out on a big baking sheet and bake at the lowest temperature setting in your oven until they are dry and crumbly to dry basil.

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