How to preserve Basil

[rockytopsis]

Please give me your thoughts on the best way to preserve Basil. I would prefer to dry it but have been told that method is not the greatest.

Thanks
Nancy

 

[herbsherbsflowers]

You can freeze it. Chop it rough and press into ice cube trays or small tupperware containers. Cover with water and freeze. Then you can cook with the chunks. Put them in soup or whatever. You can also make pesto and freeze it in small chunks.

 

[Tutter]

I do what Herb does.

 

[patandchickens]

I either:

-smash as many chopped-up leaves as I can down into baggies or small containers and cover with canola oil, and freeze that way (you can gouge out spoonfuls to cook with); or

-make pesto but leave out the parmesan and pinenuts and freeze in icecube trays. The frozen partway-pesto is, btw, EXCELLENT in a wide variety of things, such as dropped into a pot of spaghetti sauce or a pan of alfredo sauce or just thawed and spread on a pizza crust (top with cheese and other stuff, no pizza sauce, and bake that way).

Like you I have not had great results from drying it.

Pat

 

[Grow 4 Food]

One of you should be throwing out this Pesto Recipe!!!!!!!

 

[rockytopsis]

I either:

-smash as many chopped-up leaves as I can down into baggies or small containers and cover with canola oil, and freeze that way (you can gouge out spoonfuls to cook with); or

Pat

Do you think this would work with olive oil? Also how many leaves can one take off the plant without harming the plant?

 

[patandchickens]

I am certain olive oil would be fine, I just haven't had a bottle in a while as the kitchen bottle got hijacked to the change table to oil baby bottoms

I don't really know how many leaves you can take off without harming it, because I usually use only a few, and then half-forget I have basil, and then realize it is getting ready to flower and just harvest the whole plant then. I am not actually recommending this; I'm just sayin'

Pat

 

[Tutter]

Yes, it works great with olive oil; that's all I use. We have some wonderful olive oil locally.

 

[Cassandra]

I've read that for most like fresh, you should preserve it in salt--in single layers that don't overlap.

I'm going to try some of that. (I have one of those that's about to flower. ) I would guess that the best way would be in one of those wide, rectangular plastic containers.

Layer of salt on the bottom. single layer of leaves, laid flat. another layer of salt, etc.

I read that the salt doesn't pick up the basil flavor, so you can just put it back into household use as you take it out of the container. The basil, reportedly, comes out almost papery in texture, yet suitable for all uses except as a fresh garnish.

I've got a huge bush of it, so I figured I could afford to spare some to experiment with.

Cassandra

 

[sparks]

Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves (washed-spun dry)
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 to 4 lg garlic cloves (I like it garlicy) minced with 1/2 teas salt
I throw it all in a food processor or blender. I like mine chunky so do not process too long. ENJOY
Put in ice cube trays and freeze.
Use it a lot of ways. Some of our favs is on a fresh hot bagguette, pesto pizza, spag sauce,tossed with hot pasta with sauted veg.