A Little Salt and Lots of Basil

Basil is one of those things that is thriving at this time of year. It loves the sun and the daily rains. Just how much basil can you use? And what about all those little flowers that are starting to pop on the top of the plant?

It is recommended that you pinch basil back regularly throughout the growing season —as much as a third of the plant a month—whether you use the leaves or not. The more you pinch basil back, the more basil you get. Put the sprigs that you pinch off in a tiny bud vase in your kitchen, and it will provide a delicious scent for quite a while. You should also pinch off the flowers as it will keep the basil sweeter and help keep it from getting bitter as it matures. The plant will also last longer. You can use the flowers in salads or to garnish pasta or other recipes.

It does deteriorate rather rapidly once it’s picked. To keep basil fresh, submerge it in a bowl of cold water.  If you place the bowl in the refrigerator, the basil will remain fresh for several days.  

In addition to drying there are a number of ways to preserve freshly picked basil longer for future use. The most well-known use is pesto. Pesto can be frozen for up to a year. We like to prepare it for freezing, omitting the grated Parmesan cheese. The cheese is added when it’s thawed and ready to be served. Stir the cheese into the thawed pesto, maybe add a little bit more olive oil if it’s dry, and you’re ready to go.

Basil can also be frozen, and other easy and delicious ways to preserve basil include  basil salt, basil vinegar, and basil oil. Recipes follow.

Pesto

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. pine nuts, blanched almonds, or walnuts (toasted, optional)
1 to 2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves (dried basil won't work)
2 large cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Add nuts and sauté, stirring and shaking pan constantly, until nuts are light brown (30 to 45 seconds). Transfer to a paper towel to drain. Rinse, drain, and stem basil leaves. Pat dry with paper towels.  Combine nuts, basil leaves, garlic, salt, and remaining olive oil in food processor or blender. Process until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in cheese. Refrigerate, covered with a thin layer of olive oil or in a zip lock bag with the air pressed out, up to one week, or freeze for several months. Bring to room temperature before serving. 

Frozen Basil

Purée basil leaves and olive oil in a food processor, using 1 tablespoon of olive oil per 1 cup of basil. Freeze the pureed basil in an ice cube tray. Remove the frozen cubes and store in the freezer in a resealable plastic bag or freezer-safe container.

Basil Salt

Place 1/2 cup basil (or other herb) in a food processor and pulse a couple of times.  Add 2 cups Diamond Crystal kosher salt and blend until well combined and particles are uniform.  Spread parchment paper on a sheet pan and spread the basil salt out evenly. Allow to stand at room temperature for three or four days until completely dry, stirring several times a day.

In the alternative, preheat oven to 170 degrees.  Place the parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet in preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Cool and break up any clumps.  

Store cured basil salt in a tightly sealed container and enjoy on roasted vegetables, potatoes, deviled eggs, salads, fresh tomato slices, or any other food.  Great as a gift.

Basil Vinegar

2 cups vinegar (white wine vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar result in a milder product, but apple cider vinegar or plain white vinegar can also be used,)
1/2 to 1 cup washed and dried basil leaves

Bring vinegar to a simmer in a stainless steel pan. Place basil in a clean glass jar with a lid and pour the hot vinegar over the basil.  Close the jar and let it stand at room temperature for 24 hours or up to two weeks. When the flavor has developed to your liking, strain through cheesecloth and pour into sterilized bottles. A fresh sprig of basil may be added if you wish. The flavor will diminish over time, but it should last until the following season when you can make more vinegar.  Using the dark red or opal basil varieties will produce a beautiful ruby colored vinegar.  

Basil Oil

Large bunch of basil.
One cup extra-virgin olive oil.

Wash basil under running water, dry thoroughly, and remove leaves. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the basil leaves for about 10 seconds to set the color. Remove and immediately place into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cool, remove the basil and squeeze to remove the excess moisture. Press it between paper towels to ensure it is as dry as possible.

Place the blanched basil into a blender or food processor . Add the olive oil and process until smooth. Pour into a container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to allow flavors to develop.

After refrigerating, bring basil oil to room temperature to return it to liquid.  Olive oil will solidify when refrigerated.  Strain the oil through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Squeeze the cheesecloth to make sure most of the oil has been extracted.  Transfer the oil to an oil cruet or small squeeze bottle. Keeps in refrigerator for about 1 month.

Basil Oil Sauce

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, stemmed and washed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Place the basil, water, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the olive oil and blend until you have a smooth sauce.  Use immediately or refrigerate. Flavors are even more intense the next day. Refrigerate for up to 2 to 3 days.  Drizzle on pizza, over pasta, vegetables, use as bread dip, or use your imagination!