Gretchen Scalpi, RDN

I don’t know about the rest of the gardeners out there, but I have had a banner crop of basil this year. Whether it was the hot weather or the early spring, I can’t say, but I have ended up with an overabundance.  Soon the fresh basil will be gone and the only way to get it will be to buy (overpriced) fresh basil in the store.  My challenge has been how to come up with ways to make the most of what I have.

Before I tell you how I’ve been using my basil, here’s a bit of background about this wonderful herb.  The word basil is found in the Greek language and means “king.” Basil may have been used in “some royal unguent, bath, or medicine” and is sometimes referred to as the “king of herbs.”  Basil is grown all over the world and I can attest to the fact that it grows prolifically here in New York!  Basil is rich in phenolic compounds that have strong antioxidant properties, phytochemicals, carotenoids, and it has antibacterial properties.  So basil  not only adds good flavor to foods, it’s good for you!

Basil is a natural with fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce, but it can work well with as a seasoning in soups, stews, or salad dressings.  My favorite way to store basil for later use is to freeze it.  I find that frozen basil tastes fresher than dried basil.  The procedure to freeze basil is quite simple:  Remove the basil leaves from the stems, rinse and dry thoroughly (I like to use the salad spinner to remove excess water) and seal in freezer bags.  When you need  a bit of basil to cook with, just take out a few whole frozen leaves or crush in the plastic bag while it’s still frozen.  Easy!

Another way to utilize extra basil is to make basil pesto.  This is simply a concentrated, fragrant, and flavorful “sauce” that can be added to  pasta, cooked whole grains, poultry, fish or vegetables.  If you have a food processor, you can make a small batch of pesto in a few minutes.

Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil, packed

1/2 cup fresh parsley

4 cloves garlic

zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup pignolia nuts

3/4 cups Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1. Combine basil, parsley, and garlic in food processor and blend into fine paste.  Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
2. Add lemon zest, pignolia nuts, cheese and salt; blend well.
3. With food processor running, pour oil through feed tube and mix well.
4. Transfer pesto to jar.  Cover surface with a 1/8″ film of olive oil.  Seal with lid.

*Pesto can be frozen or stored in refrigerator for 3 months.  Stir top layer of oil into pesto before using.

Enjoy!

Tags: basil, herbs