Spinach leaves are an excellent option if you’re making pesto. Mix with a processor of some sort ( nutri-bullet, food processor, mortar ), with a clove of garlic, and 1/3 Cup of extra virgin olive oil. If you are going to dry them in an effort to use the entire plant, make sure that you chop up the stems very fine and mix with the leaves (as mentioned in other post - chiffonade), spread out the entire mixture and let dry completely. And if you let at least one plant go to seed, then you can save basil seeds for use next year! Overview Information Basil is an herb. Good For Digestion. Basil paste in a tube in place of fresh basil Couldnt find fresh basil last time I was at the store. Place 3-4 basil springs into a bottle of vinegar and let it sit at room temperature for about two weeks, gently shaking the bottle every couple of days. Make basil tea by pouring 1 cup boiling water over a handful of fresh basil leaves. Steep for 5 minutes, then sweeten to taste. Cooks in Laos use this basil a lot in curries, soups and stir-fries. Pick fresh basil leaves from their stalks and scatter whole, or roughly torn, over dishes. Freezing fresh basil leaves is a very effective method of preserving their taste and aroma. Grilled Corn Salad. Then cover and shake the container so that all the leaves are covered well in salt, if needed add more salt. You can also freeze basil and water in ice cubes for dropping into soups. You'll only need a teaspoon or two of dried basil to get a similar flavor. Not everyone enjoys the overwhelming taste of basil, especially kids. Taste the sauce, then add up to 1/4 cup more leaves if you don't quite like the flavor. But if you have to be picky about your supply of fresh basil, save it for salads, desserts, cocktails and anything served with raw ingredients. Place the wet leaves on a clean dish cloth and allow to air dry on the counter. Basil will keep better at room temperature. Benefits of basil leaves you must know. Purple basil is similar to basil Genovese in the shape of its leaves, but, yes, those leaves are indigo in color. This is because the dried herbs are more effective and are concentrated than fresh herbs. Sometimes fresh is absolutely necessary (hello Caprese salad), but other times dried will do. I'm making a recipe tonight that is a pasta with Brie, bacon and basil. To store Basil for later use: Frozen Basil: Freeze the fresh leaves by packing them tightly in an airtight container or plastic bag. when you use dried leaves you will and need here of them then when you use fresh herbs. With your harvested fresh basil leaves on the kitchen table, you’re ready for the next phase of the process. This is how I make my basil pesto from fresh basil leaves! We want them in a nice single layer to promote excellent air flow and drying. Experiment with adding basil to recipes you might not think to use it in. Do not overlap the leaves! The parts of the plant that grow above the ground are used to make medicine. We promise, you'll be pleasantly surprised. October 6, 2015 at 9:46 AM. To get the strongest basil flavor, add fresh leaves in at the end of your cooking (though that may vary with the recipe). I bought basil paste, but I've never used it before. Dried Basil: Fresh and dried basil in glass jar. Tuck the tray(s) of basil into the oven or dehydrator. Along with lemon basil, there's the anise-scented Thai basil with purple stems and pink flowers. Clean the leaves and rub them with olive oil before putting them in a plastic bag and freezing. Our Excalibur dehydrator racks full of basil, ready to go in and dry! Although you can make it stronger if desired, typically for every 1 cup of water you only need enough basil to make 2 tablespoons once it's chopped. 20. To freeze your basil, pull leaves from stems. Puree fresh leaves and freeze in ice cube trays with a bit of olive or avocado oil for future use. Dried basil to fresh basil leaves conversion. 1. Before you start, wash basil in cold water and dry; a salad spinner works well for this step. You can dry the damaged pieces and use them for spice. Here’s how to freeze basil correctly: Remove the stems from the basil leaves. So, for example: 2 teaspoons fresh equals 1 teaspoon dried. Simply break off chunks as needed for garden-fresh flavor in recipes. Preserving basil in the freezer means you can make homemade pesto anytime, even in the winter. 18. Spinach leaves . Yes. Trim the leaves from the bottom of the stems and place the basil in a glass of water, much like you would flowers. It also has a more mellow flavor, so you can use more. If you have a lot of sun-scorched basil leaves, or leaves that are brown-mottled from insect damage or other mishap, you can use them as-is or, if you prefer, snip off the offending part after harvest. Let the basil cool, then crumble and store in a tightly sealed container. One of the most effective ways to store fresh herbs and keep them fresher longer is to put them in a glass of water, then in a plastic bag, and put the whole thing in the fridge. Here are 34 ways to make the most of fresh basil this summer. Then, pour olive oil over them and freeze. (Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Pixabay –LyubovKardakova) By freezing basil as purée instead of whole leaves, you can easily use it for cooking later. 5) Dry the Basil. For meals such as pizza that use basil as a flavor and a garnish, the dried option won’t work as well. It’s arguably the most important one because it can make or break the freshness, flavors, and depth of aroma of your basil harvest. I really appreciate your input. 19. Fresh. The mixture will last months! ! Wash the remaining leaf part well, drain and chop. Spin the blanched leaves dry in a salad spinner (or pat dry as best you can). Basil is widely available in supermarkets; look for bright green leaves with no hint of wilting or black spotting. Later you can break off small sections for cooking. Put fresh basil leaves into a colander that fits into the pot (it’s important to have the basil in something so you can quickly remove it all at once). The eugenol present in the leaves ensures anti-inflammatory action in the digestive tract. If you're using a recipe that calls for fresh basil, but you're using dried instead, cut the amount back by a third. Puree leaves and freeze in thin layers, then place in freezer bags. It will last this way for a year or more. Reply. You can actually pick only a few leaves at a time to use as fresh basil. Start by adding 1/4 cup of basil leaves. Fresh cut basil should be wrapped in damp kitchen paper, placed in a perforated bag and stored in the fridge – it will last a day or two. Watermelon Salad with Feta. Separate the leaves you need to make the tea by snipping them away from the plant or stem with a sharp knife or scissors. They add delicious, intense, and unexpected notes to any combination of fruits & veggies. This blend of fresh basil, garlic, nuts, cheese, and olive oil is one of the most versatile condiments around. Most experts recommend using twice as much fresh as you would dried basil. Is there a good rule of thumb for how much basil paste to use for fresh basil? Once you start adding fresh herbs to your salads, you won’t look back. If you have a monster haul of basil, the top way to use it all up is definitely pesto. However you use it, don't be shy. When you use different drives in cooking there is a common rule that comes to the and that determines the ratio of fresh leaves to the dry leaves. Next, spread the basil leaves out in an even layer on your dehydrator trays or baking sheet, depending on which method you’re using. Fresh basil has a more delicate flavor than dried basil, so you need to add quite a bit of it to the sauce. Dip the colander with leaves into the boiling water for just 3-5 seconds. There are 5 drying methods that work with basil leaves. Do you wash basil before drying? Sprinkle the basil atop a potato salad, or mix it into bean salads and green salads. Not basil, however! If you want the perfect start to a homemade salad dressing and you have a few leftover basil leaves to use up, try infusing a bottle of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar with fresh basil. Transfer blanched leaves immediately to the ice water bath. And one more thing to note: Once dry, basil is more potent than it is when fresh. Mistake #5: You are refrigerating basil. If you can't find fresh basil, use dried. According to the book , 'Healing Foods' by DK Publishing, basil can facilitate optimal digestion. 1. In a nutshell, I use about three cups of fresh basil (no they don’t have to be dry, but do wash them!). Can fresh basil leaves be frozen? Fresh basil adds to almost every recipe. Of course you can buy it fresh or dried from the grocery store, but if you use basil as much as we do, I ... 1/2 cup (or so) fresh basil leaves Water to fill jar Cover and place jar in a sunny location (safely) When ‘tea’ is dark remove leaves Sweeten with honey or sweet leaf Add lemon slices if desired Drink cold or hot DELISH!! The number of leaves necessary depends on the sizes of the leaves. Cut or pinch off at the node where you see baby leaves growing out from the larger leaves and then give you basil a … It seems to be added at the end of cooking, probably to protect that fresh-but-fragile flavor and aroma. When harvesting basil leaves, how you pick them and even the time of day can influence the herb's flavor, as does the care and maintenance you give the plants beforehand. You can also tear the basil leaves and put them in an ice cube tray. Clean and dry the leaves, in a deep container with a lid, place a half inch of salt on the bottom, add a layer of basil leaves sprinkle with salt, press down gently but try not to break the leaves. In each of the recipes below, the addition of fresh basil leaves makes the final salad really shine. Store it. In a couple of days the mixture will have dried out to the point where you can crush them and store in a small container. Of course, you can substitute the other way and use dried if you don’t have fresh. 2. "Basil fortifies the digestive and nervous system and can be a good remedy for headaches and insomnia," notes the book. Continue until you reach the top of the container. Gently wash basil leaves in cool water taking care not to damage the leaves. Thai and Indonesian cooks use it in similar ways. In other words, if the original recipe calls for two teaspoons of finely chopped fresh basil, you can simply substitute the amount with one teaspoon of dried basil leaves. Simoné. 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