Basil?

[kitchen_kink]

Friends, gourmands, countrypeople,

I just bought a big bunch of basil at the farmers' market.

1. Besides put it with tomatoes in a salad or put it in tomato sauce, what do I do with it? Keep in mind I have no blender/food processor (i.e., no pesto).

2. Is there an easy way to dry it for later use?

Comments

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

I suspect some number of us would volunteer to let you use our blenders or food processors. :)

What I've seen for DIY herb drying is: Get a stack of clean AC filters, put the herbs in between them, fasten it all together and stack them on a box fan for a while (day?). I've never done this and have no idea how well it works.

[beah.livejournal.com]

My ghetto method is to tie the bunch of herbs together at the stems with dental floss (don't bind the leafy parts too tightly or they'll get moldy instead of dry) and hang them upside down somewhere dry.

[sykotropic.livejournal.com]

I agree. Just like you would with flowers.

mmm.. basil...

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

1. You can make pesto without appliances (I'm pretty sure it was invented before electricity :), and while it might not be as smooth, who cares? It'll still be yummy. Arguably, pesto made with a mortal & pestle is better than that made with a blender/fp.

2. Basil is just about the worst herb for drying -- it loses so much flavor, it's barely worth using. However, you can throw it in zip-tops and freeze it for later use to better effect. It will lose its color that way, though. If you freeze it in olive oil, it'll stay greener.

Re: mmm.. basil...

[beah.livejournal.com]

I have frozen basil in ziplock bags. It still won't last forever, but it definitely retains more flavor.

Re: mmm.. basil...

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Yup, I've also made it in a mortar. Alternately, very fine mincing with a sharp knife.

Re: mmm.. basil...

[starphire.livejournal.com]

The traditional method with a mortar and pestle also used coarse salt-the pulverized salt crystals act like grit to break down the cells in the basil leaves. Then you add the other ingredients.

[entrope.livejournal.com]

It also works well to chop a little fresh basil and freeze it inside an ice cube of water. Then, when you need a tablespoon of basil, take it out and thaw it, etc.

[(Anonymous)]

I like to pick the leaves from the stems, chop it very coarsely and toss it with pasta, lemon, olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan... pesto-like ingredients but not in a paste :) You can also add other things to this like sauteed mushrooms and garlic, white beans, olives or whatever else you like to eat with pasta.

If you have the patience and a good chef's knife, you can make a less smooth pesto by hand without a blender or food processor by just chopping everything finely. It's quite labor intensive but I did it sometimes in college.

You can dry basil, but it's so wonderful fresh that I'd either use it that way or wash it carefully and then freeze it.

[imvfd.livejournal.com]

First, Thai cuisine seems to use basil extensively so that would be a good place to start.

Here you will find a page with a few recipes that seem to not suck.

http://recipes.chef2chef.net/learn-to-cook/fresh-herbs/cooking-basil.htm

Oh, and while you don't have a blender you do have a veggie juicer which pretty much would disintegrate the basil into it's elemental components allowing for making some waaaay smooth pesto. Yes, overkill a pain in the but to recombine the shredded veggie bits with the juice... but wait! Perhaps just use the juice for a fun glaze for chicken or some such. Basil juice mixed with some sharp honey... hmm, yes, definitely potentials all around.

[desiringsubject.livejournal.com]

We have a "mini chop" whose bowl is almost the size of the food processor bowl. But is overall small and easily pack-and-loanable.

Fun trick my best friend taught me

[cycon.livejournal.com]

If you're using basil and garlic in the same recipe, put the basil leaf into the garlic press before the garlic — that way, you can press them together rather than having to chop up the basil. :)

[trowa-barton.livejournal.com]

hammercock has a great recipe for cheese bread with basil. It's quite delicious. I'll let her provide the details.

[zarex.livejournal.com]

You can preserve freshly cut basil by putting the stems in water, much like flowers. They'll last at least a couple of weeks this way.

When it's time to dry them, hang the bunch from the stems upside down. You can freeze them also; if you seal them in ziplock everything stays inside, including the moisture in ice-form. I think you'll have better results if you freeze them in the open, as your freezer will probably de-hydrate them.

[starphire.livejournal.com]

Provided that you cut the ends of the stems off just before you put them into water (as with fresh flowers). Otherwise it will still wilt.
Also, don't refrigerate it if you're trying to keep it fresh, or the leaves will turn black.

[amadea.livejournal.com]

this conversation is making me drool.