Kitchen Garden: Basil

Posted by Lesli

If there were only one herb that I planted in my kitchen garden it would be basil.

Fresh basil is truly intoxicating. It's impossible to get the same taste from the dried basil you'd find in a store.

You can usually find fresh basil in the produce section of your store, but not always. That's why I enjoy growing basil in the summer. It's available when I need it.

Once the growing season is over, you'll want to harvest as many basil leaves as you can. The alternative to this, is to bring your basil plant into the house. I find that the plant eventually gets woody and doesn't grow very good in my house. If you have a sunny spot you might have more luck then me.

If you end up harvesting your basil plant you likely know that freezing the leaves whole will turn them black and wilty. An alternative to this is to throw all of your leaves into a food processor, add 1/4 c. of olive oil. Add more olive oil if you need to. You're aiming for a thick paste like consistency.

Once processed, dollop into an ice cube tray. Freeze. Once frozen, take the basil cubes out of the tray and put into a freezer bag. When your recipe calls for basil, just throw in a cube - or two!

Happy Cooking,

- Lesli

TAGS: Basil, Freezing Basil, Freezing Herbs, Fresh Basil, Kitchen Garden, Olive Oil
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