Cooking with Basil
Basil is a leading spice in many Italian and Thai dishes, it is also the main ingredient in many pestos. Having said this, it is in many dishes that do not fall into the categories already mentioned, making it one of the most used herbs in the world.
You can grow your own basil. But many people do not have the time, the garden space, or the green thumb to do so. To buy fresh basil choose bunches that are a vibrant green in color. Avoid bunches with dark or yellow spots. Dried basil can be bought from bulk containers in precise quantities or packaged in jars, produced by the major spice companies. Fresh basil is undoubtedly better flavored, but not by much. Dried basil is a good substitute.
Dried basil is stored in jars in the spice cabinet. However, fresh basil may be stored in many ways. The bunch will stay fresh for about a week if wrapped in a damp paper towel and kept in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen in ice cube trays by adding either water or stock to the tray. The frozen cubes can simply be added to soups or stews as needed.
There are many varieties of basil, many of which give different flavors and different presentations. If you see "basil" in a recipe, most often it is referring to "sweet basil". But many other basils will do just fine.
Some chefs recommend adding basil at the end of recipes in order to preserve as much flavor as possible, as well as the beneficial volatile oils.
We have put together a couple of recipes that feature basil:
Basil Angelique
Asparagus with Basil
Basil Pesto
Tomato Basil Soup
Basil Dressing
Return to Basil Index
