Cooking with Fresh Herbs: Basil

I'm sorry but I don't know anything about pineapple basil. I'd be interested in hearing how you like it if you do cook something with it.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen ( http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com )

I love basil and have 10 different varieties in my garden.  I found this year a "Pineapple Basil" and decided to plant it.  Though it smells of the basil variety, it does not have the same texture as typical basil.  I am hesitant to cook with it until I learn more about it. I cannot find any information on this basil and hoped you could help me.

That's such a good idea! Going to get some at the thrift store. I am thinking about making basil and sage pesto this weekend because I have an abundance of both.

Love you idea to use the pesto base on pizza too.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen ( http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com )

Our basil pesto recipe is very similar to Maureen's, except we don't add lemon (nice idea... we DO add lemon to our mint pesto recipe though) The other way it differs is that we sometimes leave the toasted nuts whole. We usually use pinenuts or pecans (sometimes almonds). We sometimes add a bit of cream to our basil pesto too.

I too put basil into a jug of water. Our garden is only large enough to grow enough basil for garnishes. Luckily almost all of our local vegetable stores sell basil in giant bunches starting in mid August until mid September - invariably they sell whole plants with the roots attached.

Because basil leaves can discolour so easily if the wet leaves are dried in
a salad spinner, I wash the basil as soon as I bring it home: by turning the plant(s) upside down (leaving the leaves on their stems) in a sink of water and swishing it around until all the dirt and sand appears to be gone from the leaves. Then I shake off as much water and put it
(with the root still intact) into a vase with just a little water in the bottom so the leaves can dry overnight. (Okay, it's true; sometimes I don't have a vase
large enough for the basil. I use a large water jug or a bucket.) The kitchen smells fabulous!! 

The next day, I simply pull the clean dry leaves
off the stalks and throw them into the food processor with a few
parsley leaves and olive oil. Only after the leaves are puréed do I add
garlic, pepper and seasalt.

At that point, we freeze whatever we're not having that night in icecube trays (ice cube trays that are only used for freezing pesto - unless we want ice that smells and tastes of basil and garlic...). We add the nuts and cheese to the basil pesto just before using it to toss in spaghettini or as a garnish for salmon steaks. We've also used this base (without the nuts and cheese) on pizza instead of tomato sauce. And we've also  thrown a little into a simple vinaigrette to make wonderful salad dressing.  

Elizabeth
blog from OUR kitchen ( http://www.etherwork.net/blog/ )

P.S. 30+ basil plants really is enviable! We only have four... (2 Genovese, 2 Thai)

I do have a big garden and lots of basil! Fun finding your blog, and your pesto recipe looks just right to me.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen ( http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com )

There are so many fantastic ways to use basil. Keep harvesting, because that makes the plant produce more. Too bad about the dill. Other herbs that are easy to grow are parsley, rosemary, tarragon, and of course mint!

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen ( http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com )

To say I don't have a green thumb is, well, kind.  However, I decided to grow a couple of herbs on my balcony this year to save a little grocery money.  I'm growing basil in a pot and I have a lovely round little plant.  I've harvested 3 times now.  It's wonderful.  Now that I have it though, I've had trouble coming up with recipes I wanted to try so it's great to have so many options right here at my fingertips. Thanks!

You may have noticed that I had planned to grow two herbs.  I also had a nice little dill plant that I harvested from twice before one of my cats knocked it off the balcony and it busted up down below!  :(  Very sad.  I had a wonderful meatloaf with that dill!

All my best!

Wow!  30+ basil plants?!  You are my Herb Hero :)  

Your post has motivated me to make a big batch of pesto and freeze it for the chilly winter months (when wilted basil is $4.99 in the grocery store!).  

Here's an Irish girl's recipe for pesto - http://holdthegluten.net/?p=17

Maureen
Hold The Gluten - Happily Existing (as a Celiac!)
www.holdthegluten.net

I've heard of this, but since I have basil in my garden I hadn't ever tried it. Good to know that it will work.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen ( http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com )

At the local farmers' market the other day, I bought some lemon basil, and the farmer said that the best way to keep it fresh was to snip the bottom of the bunch, like you would with fresh flowers, and put it in water, in a glass or small vase, on the kitche counter, NOT the fridge...it has stayed fresh for days this way, in fact looks more robust as the days pass, so I would definitely recommend this technique if you want to have some fresh basil to snip but don't have a garden full of it...

Jessica Harper

http://www.jessicaharper.com

Chopping it in the food processor with some oil is important because the oil keeps the basil from turning dark. I've found the frozen basil to be very useful in winter cooking.

Salmon with pesto and cream cheese sounds wonderful!

I love thyme and rosemary too, those are coming soon in this series.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen ( http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com )

Thanks Kalyn, for that new information.  And I'm definitely going to try some of those recipes. 

recently i tried a recipe from my cousin with was baked salmon covered in a mixture of pesto and cream cheese.  it was decadent and lovely! 

However, this week I am in love with Thyme and Rosemary. (these are my winter friends)

I think I have a recipe for that... ( http://krissyscookingblog.blogspot.com/ )