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What can I do with too much basil?
What to Do With Too Much Basil Make pesto. Making pesto may be the most obvious answer, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook the power of such a vibrant homemade condiment. Make cocktails. Know what else basil goes great with? Use it in a rehydrating salad. Save it. Root it. Try These Basil Recipes.
What can I use fresh basil for?
How to Use Basil Top whole leaves onto pizza. Finish pasta with whole or thinly sliced leaves. Blend it into sauces. Puree it into soups. Chop it up to add to a salad. Use it to garnish avocado toast. Turn it into an ice cream topping! Jazz up vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries, basil, and a balsamic reduction.
What is the best way to preserve fresh basil?
Go ahead and remove the leaves from the stems. Wash and dry the leaves, using either a paper towel or a salad spinner. Wrap the basil leaves in a dry paper towel and place inside a plastic bag. Seal and store for one to two weeks.
Can you freeze fresh basil leaves?
To freeze your basil, pull leaves from stems. You can also freeze leaves whole and keep them for up to a year. First, blanch leaves for two seconds in boiling water, then drain and rinse immediately with cold water. Pat leaves dry and store in a large, freezer-safe container, separating each layer with plastic wrap.
Can you eat basil leaves Raw?
The leaves are also commonly used in cooking, though some people eat the leaves raw. Holy basil tastes spicy and bitter. There are many ways to incorporate holy basil into your daily life. You can cook with it, take it in supplement form, or make a tea with it.
What meat goes well with basil?
Sweet and fragrant basil complements tomato-based dishes including pizza, pasta and marinara sauce. It also pairs well with vegetable, chicken, pork or seafood.
Can basil help you lose weight?
Since holy basil targets metabolic stress, it can also help with weight loss and cholesterol levels.
Can I freeze fresh basil without blanching?
To freeze basil, blanch the leaves, flash freeze them separately, then combine and freeze them long-term in an airtight, freezer-safe container. If you don’t need to preserve individual leaves, you can also freeze basil without blanching and flash freezing it, or you can freeze basil in puréed form.
How long will basil keep in olive oil?
Other Useful Tips for How to Store Basil It will last up to 2 days when wrapped in a paper towel and put in a plastic bag. If you cover the leaves with olive oil, they can last up to 2 months.
Can you freeze basil to make pesto later?
Make pesto. This is probably one of the best ways to make use of fresh basil. Having garden-fresh pesto on hand in the freezer can lighten up the doldrums of winter. Once frozen, pop out the individual cubes and place them in a freezer bag and freeze; they’ll keep at least 6 months.
How long does basil last in the fridge?
When properly stored, fresh basil can last up to 10 days. However, when you preserve it, you can keep it for much longer. What is this? Even though well preserved basil doesn’t really go bad, it will start to lose its flavor over time.
How do you preserve basil for the winter?
Wash the leaves and dry them with a paper towel. Then gather them in bunches and wrap the stems with a twist tie. Hang them upside down for a week or two and then break the leaves off the stems into an airtight container and you will have dried basil for the winter. Basil lasts this way for about a year.
How do you prepare basil for freezing?
Use a food processor to coarsely chop washed basil leaves. Add a drizzle of olive oil and pulse to lightly coat the leaves with oil; this will keep the basil from turning black in the freezer. Scoop the resulting mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Transfer the finished cubes to freezer bags and use as needed.
Can you use basil for tea?
While basil is best known for flavoring Italian recipes, its flavor lends intrigue to tea. This recipe has a slightly different method from our other herbal tea recipes. Because the flavor of basil isn’t strong enough on its own, combine it with black tea and lemon for the perfect brew!Jun 6, 2020.
Do you cook basil?
One of the most common types of basil is sweet basil. It’s so common that it’s usually just labeled as basil. Holy basil is best cooked (it can be bitter when raw), but purple basil is best raw as that pretty purple color turns black when cooked.
Is basil good for high blood pressure?
Basil contains compounds, such as eugenol, that may help reduce blood pressure, according to animal studies.
What spices does basil go with?
Basil, probably the most popular of fresh herbs, combines well with bay, garlic, marjoram, oregano, savory and thyme in cooked dishes. When used fresh, it goes well with chives, dill, garlic, mint, nasturtium, parsley and watercress.
Which herbs do not go together in cooking?
Which Herbs Do Not Go Together? | Garden Guide Fennel. Rue, Anise and Dill. Garlic. Mint. Chives. Rosemary. Basil.
Which herbs do not go together?
Carrots and anise (Pimpinella anisum, USDA zones 4-9) should be kept separate, and rue and basil make poor companions for plants in the Brassica genus. Rosemary should be kept away from other herbs as well as all potatoes, carrots and members of the Cucurbita genus.
