Top 10 Uses for Basil

Some people call it summer; others call it “basil season”. Few people can ignore the lure of those soft, fragrant leaves when milling about the local farmer’s market. But fresh basil can become a staple in your kitchen all year round; not just as a treat in the summer months. 10 ways you can use fresh basil any time of the year:

1. Add it to your salad. You will never tire of the surprise burst of flavour as it melds beautifully with your traditional lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes.
2. Replace the lettuce in your next sandwich. Imagine a tuna sandwich with the green of basil instead of the green of lettuce!
3. Make basil butter. Chop a few fresh basil leaves (by hand or in a food processor) and blend it with a pound of softened butter. Spoon it out into baggies or freezer containers and freeze it in small batches, to be used year round. Use basil butter to sauté meats, add it to your steamed veggies or serve it with fresh bread at dinner.
4. Freeze it! Set yourself up with as much fresh basil as you can stand. Snip the leaves off of the stem, wash them well in cold water and spin them dry with a salad spinner. Add a handful or two into a food processor and drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Pulse. Add more olive oil if the leaves aren’t processing well. Once you have a nice “paste” (but the leaves needn’t be pulverized; simply well chopped), spoon the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze them for a day. Then empty the frozen basil cubes into a large freezer bag and keep them in the freezer. You can add fresh basil to your recipes all year long!
5. Pesto! Pesto! Pesto! Did I mention pesto? A simple yet delicious concoction of basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and salt mixed well in a food processor will put a smile on anyone’s face at your table. Pesto freezes well and can be used to flavour roast chicken, pastas and pizza.
6. Make herbal vinegar. Place some fresh basil into a clean glass jar. Pour warm (not boiling) vinegar over the basil and allow it to cool. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the mouth of the jar before securing the lid on it. Store in a cool, dry place. Replace any vinegar in your recipes with basil vinegar for an extra zing of flavor! (Psst! A teaspoon of this stuff will make your hiccups vanish!)
7. Make flavored oil. In order to make herbal-flavored oil, you would follow the same process as you would for vinegar. Place several sprigs of basil in a glass jar. More flavour will seep out of the basil if you tear the leaves first. Pour warm olive oil over the herbs in the jar and allow it to cool. Cover and store in a cool, dark place. It will last up to 6 months.
8. Use the flowers! If you’ve ever grown basil, you know that this hardy herb will inevitably flower. It is important to pinch some of the flowers off in order to encourage a bushier plant, but you can use those flowers by adding them to salads, decorating the plates when you have guests, or even adding them to your herbal vinegar and oil.
9. Basil makes a great marinade. Chop a handful of basil in a food processor. Add some lemon juice, salt, olive oil, and garlic. Marinade your chicken or fish in this delicious mixture and allow it to sit for at least 2 hours in the fridge. Cook over a low heat on the barbeque and you will be salivating before it even reaches the table.
10. Make basil bread. If you like to bake your own bread, coarsely chop some basil and knead it into the dough before shaping the loaves. You can also add garlic and olives, giving it a rich and unique flavour.

With some planning and a bit of extra time, you can make basil season last all year long. You could surprise your family by rubbing some thawed basil cubes under the skin of your turkey breast at Christmas or make your sweetheart some delectable basil bread for your anniversary. Whatever the occasion, you can make basil a welcome addition to your home 365 days a year!