Basil comes in many varieties including sweet, Genovese, Italian large leaf, anise, lemon, purple or dark opal, sweet Thai, and many more. It is also called St. Jospeh's-wort and is boasted to have natural medicinal qualities. Basil is a member of the mint family and most varieties have a light anise and peppery flavor. Common in Italian cuisine, caprese salad showcases this fresh herb's vibrant flavor.
Estimated Picking Dates: July to mid September
*Deluxe share item only
Cleaning/Preparing: Wash basil before use, but NOT before storage unless plants are very dirty and wet! Simply rinse in running cold water or swish in a bath of cold water immediately before use. Remove roots, outer leaves that look dry, marred, or bitter, and remove any stems which appear to be tough or brown. Let drip dry in colander or spin in a salad spinner to dry well enough for dressing to stick if you are making a cold salad. If your greens wilt, follow the salad greens washing method to revitalize. (Fill sink or large bowl with very cold or ice water. Swish and soak herbs for a few minutes to let dirt float to the bottom. Soak in very cold water for 20-30 minutes. Lift clean greens off the top of the water leaving the dirt behind. Repeat if very dirty. Shake off extra water or spin until very dry. Refrigerate in a sealed container with towel to continue re-crisping.)
If you want to make sure your herbs are sanitized use the following procedure: Leafy Green Wash
1 cup distilled white vinegar
3 cups water
1-2 t. salt (optional) - enhances anti-bacterial properties
Mix the water and vinegar together in a bowl. Allow your herbs to soak in the bowl for about 2 minutes, then rinse them well. Proceed with standard drying (spin or shake and roll in towel)
Storage: Treat your fresh herbs like a bouquet of flowers or a fresh corsage.
Bouquet Method: Trim ends and place in a glass of cold water. Keep on kitchen counter at room temperature. Change water if it clouds.
Fresh Corsage Method: Wrap in a damp towel and store in a sealed plastic bag or container in the fridge. Refrigerated basil should last about 4 days.
Dry Corsage Method: If you do not anticipate using your basil in the next 4 days, dry the herb by hanging it upside down from a kitchen cabinet handle for about a week or lay it out in a single layer on a paper/towel out of the way for a week. Then seal in the plastic container.
Freeze: Chop or mince in mortar pestle or food processor. Freeze in ice cube trays for a day. Remove from trays and place frozen basil into a freezer zip top bag. Return to freezer.
Preparing: Hold basil plant by the tip and run your other hand down the stalk to remove leaves. If stalks are too tough for your taste in the recipe you are making, save the stalks for stock broth. I use the whole plant in pesto, but do not use the stalks in salads or dressings.
Featured Recipe: Caprese Salad
Other common uses: Tea, dressings, marinades, salads, pesto, and paired with tomato anything
Substitutes: Each herb is its own unique flavor and cannot be substitutes exactly. When I cook, each dish is its own unique work of art. This means I don't measure and interchange different ingredients. I interchange any type of basil in a recipe. If I do not have basil, I add mint and/or marjoram with black pepper and vise versa. Hyssop can add that anise flavor as well.
*Deluxe share item only
Cleaning/Preparing: Wash basil before use, but NOT before storage unless plants are very dirty and wet! Simply rinse in running cold water or swish in a bath of cold water immediately before use. Remove roots, outer leaves that look dry, marred, or bitter, and remove any stems which appear to be tough or brown. Let drip dry in colander or spin in a salad spinner to dry well enough for dressing to stick if you are making a cold salad. If your greens wilt, follow the salad greens washing method to revitalize. (Fill sink or large bowl with very cold or ice water. Swish and soak herbs for a few minutes to let dirt float to the bottom. Soak in very cold water for 20-30 minutes. Lift clean greens off the top of the water leaving the dirt behind. Repeat if very dirty. Shake off extra water or spin until very dry. Refrigerate in a sealed container with towel to continue re-crisping.)
If you want to make sure your herbs are sanitized use the following procedure: Leafy Green Wash
1 cup distilled white vinegar
3 cups water
1-2 t. salt (optional) - enhances anti-bacterial properties
Mix the water and vinegar together in a bowl. Allow your herbs to soak in the bowl for about 2 minutes, then rinse them well. Proceed with standard drying (spin or shake and roll in towel)
Storage: Treat your fresh herbs like a bouquet of flowers or a fresh corsage.
Bouquet Method: Trim ends and place in a glass of cold water. Keep on kitchen counter at room temperature. Change water if it clouds.
Fresh Corsage Method: Wrap in a damp towel and store in a sealed plastic bag or container in the fridge. Refrigerated basil should last about 4 days.
Dry Corsage Method: If you do not anticipate using your basil in the next 4 days, dry the herb by hanging it upside down from a kitchen cabinet handle for about a week or lay it out in a single layer on a paper/towel out of the way for a week. Then seal in the plastic container.
Freeze: Chop or mince in mortar pestle or food processor. Freeze in ice cube trays for a day. Remove from trays and place frozen basil into a freezer zip top bag. Return to freezer.
Preparing: Hold basil plant by the tip and run your other hand down the stalk to remove leaves. If stalks are too tough for your taste in the recipe you are making, save the stalks for stock broth. I use the whole plant in pesto, but do not use the stalks in salads or dressings.
Featured Recipe: Caprese Salad
Other common uses: Tea, dressings, marinades, salads, pesto, and paired with tomato anything
Substitutes: Each herb is its own unique flavor and cannot be substitutes exactly. When I cook, each dish is its own unique work of art. This means I don't measure and interchange different ingredients. I interchange any type of basil in a recipe. If I do not have basil, I add mint and/or marjoram with black pepper and vise versa. Hyssop can add that anise flavor as well.