How to Cook With Basil
Native to India, basil is a popular cooking spice around the world, and is now commonly correlated with Italian dishes. Basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow, with large aromatic green leaves that complement any herb garden, as it not only helps to purify the air, the powerful smell repels flies and mosquitos. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Use fresh basil for cooking whenever possible, as the fragrance and flavor is quickly lost in dried herbs. While many people use dried basil in the kitchen, the flavor is much more subtle than that offered by using fresh-picked leaves.
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Cook basil for the shortest period possible, as extended cooking also destroys the powerful flavor. Add basil to pasta sauces and soups just before removing from heat, and add basil to pizza upon removing from the oven. Pesto as well should always be prepared raw without warming or cooking.
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Tear or crush basil leaves instead of cutting, with food processor pesto as the only exception. Cut edges quickly turn black and lose their flavor.
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Allow your fresh growing basil to flower and then harvest the seed. Add a spoonful of fresh seeds to non-sparkling mineral water for a refreshing drink on a hot summer day.
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Store fresh basil leaves in a plastic bag in the fridge, or freeze crushed leaves with a bit of water in ice cube trays. Then add frozen basil cubes to soups and sauces in the last 5 minutes of cooking for a fresh basil flavor all year round.
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Dry basil leaves as a last resort, as they will quickly lose flavor. Hang the leaves by their stems in a dry, ventilated room, and then store the dried leaves in an airtight container at room temperature. Dried basil should be used within 6 to 8 months for best flavor.
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Preserve fresh basil leaves by dropping them into olive oil. The oil will take on a slight basil aroma and the leaves can be extracted and used for cooking in your favorite recipes.
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