How to use fresh basil

[Anonymous]

Muddle strawberries and basil, add ice and sparkling water. Liquor of your choice, optional.

Grill peaches, toss with basil leaves. Goes great with pork chops or vanilla ice cream.

[Anonymous]

Basil is like a weed in my garden. I get so much of it and I love it. I give gobs of it away and I make vats of pesto and give jars as Christmas gifts. I saw a recipe for basil salt recently. Just google any old recipe.

[Anonymous]

Make your own pasta sauce.

[Anonymous]

Put it in spaghetti sauce and can put it in water with berries

[Anonymous]

I know you said no pesto, but...

Put it in the food processor with some garlic and a bit of olive oil to make a basil paste (I won't say pesto )

Roll out a sheet of puff pastry

Lay slices of Prosciutto on the puff pastry to cover the top

Spread the basil "paste" over the Prosciutto.

Sprinkle shredded or shaved parmesan over the basil (not grated. It's too small)

On the long sides, roll each side towards the middle so you have 2 spirals rolling into each other

Flip the roll upside down so the flat smooth side is up

Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into approximately 1/2" to 3/4" pieces (it doesn't need to be perfect because, well, puff pastry)

Lay the pieces around 2" apart on a cookie tray lined with parchment. They can look sloppy. Puff pastry will fix it.

Bake until golden at a 375 preheated oven

Store in an airtight container.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know you said no pesto, but...

Put it in the food processor with some garlic and a bit of olive oil to make a basil paste (I won't say pesto )

Roll out a sheet of puff pastry

Lay slices of Prosciutto on the puff pastry to cover the top

Spread the basil "paste" over the Prosciutto.

Sprinkle shredded or shaved parmesan over the basil (not grated. It's too small)

On the long sides, roll each side towards the middle so you have 2 spirals rolling into each other

Flip the roll upside down so the flat smooth side is up

Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into approximately 1/2" to 3/4" pieces (it doesn't need to be perfect because, well, puff pastry)

Lay the pieces around 2" apart on a cookie tray lined with parchment. They can look sloppy. Puff pastry will fix it.

Bake until golden at a 375 preheated oven

Store in an airtight container.

OP here. Love this.

And I dislike pesto because of the pine nuts, so this is great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Top any pasta dish with it.

It tastes good on a burger.

You can also freeze it into ice cubes, then you'll be able to use it in the winter.

I'm sure you know this ... keep picking it, even if you don't use all of it, so that the plant doesn't bolt or become bitter.

+1 I usually end up with a huge basil plant thanks to the composted soil.

We chop it up, add olive oil, and freeze them in ice cube trays; we also make pesto and freeze it. We use it throughout the year until the next summer I have another huge plant - rinse and repeat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you said no pesto, but...

Put it in the food processor with some garlic and a bit of olive oil to make a basil paste (I won't say pesto )

Roll out a sheet of puff pastry

Lay slices of Prosciutto on the puff pastry to cover the top

Spread the basil "paste" over the Prosciutto.

Sprinkle shredded or shaved parmesan over the basil (not grated. It's too small)

On the long sides, roll each side towards the middle so you have 2 spirals rolling into each other

Flip the roll upside down so the flat smooth side is up

Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into approximately 1/2" to 3/4" pieces (it doesn't need to be perfect because, well, puff pastry)

Lay the pieces around 2" apart on a cookie tray lined with parchment. They can look sloppy. Puff pastry will fix it.

Bake until golden at a 375 preheated oven

Store in an airtight container.

OP here. Love this.

And I dislike pesto because of the pine nuts, so this is great.

I am the one who has a ton of basil. I ran out of pine nuts and made basil pesto with walnuts last week. It was fantastic.

[Anonymous]

Basil butter, then use or freeze for later. Looks prettier if you blanche the basil to stay bright green first.
https://bojongourmet.com/basil-butter/

[Anonymous]

Try it with vanilla ice cream.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you said no pesto, but...

Put it in the food processor with some garlic and a bit of olive oil to make a basil paste (I won't say pesto )

Roll out a sheet of puff pastry

Lay slices of Prosciutto on the puff pastry to cover the top

Spread the basil "paste" over the Prosciutto.

Sprinkle shredded or shaved parmesan over the basil (not grated. It's too small)

On the long sides, roll each side towards the middle so you have 2 spirals rolling into each other

Flip the roll upside down so the flat smooth side is up

Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into approximately 1/2" to 3/4" pieces (it doesn't need to be perfect because, well, puff pastry)

Lay the pieces around 2" apart on a cookie tray lined with parchment. They can look sloppy. Puff pastry will fix it.

Bake until golden at a 375 preheated oven

Store in an airtight container.

OP here. Love this.

And I dislike pesto because of the pine nuts, so this is great.

I am the one who has a ton of basil. I ran out of pine nuts and made basil pesto with walnuts last week. It was fantastic.

I've done it with walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, almonds, or pecans, and sometimes a blend of whatever odds and ends I have. Always delicious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Muddle strawberries and basil, add ice and sparkling water. Liquor of your choice, optional.

Grill peaches, toss with basil leaves. Goes great with pork chops or vanilla ice cream.

Great ideas. I love all of them.

[Anonymous]

Make a green goddess or other dressing with it