Basil

Basil is truly an incredible herb that is easy to grow and use in cooking. It has a rich and spicy, mildly peppery flavor with a trace of mint and clove. Basil is an annual herb belonging to the mint family, and is easily identified in the garden or farmers market by its square stems. Although there are over 40 known varieties of basil, Sweet Basil is the most common.

Basil is traditional in Italian cooking, but is also popular in Mediterranean and Thai cooking. It is superb with veal, lamb, fish, poultry, pasta, rice, tomatoes, cheese and eggs. It blends well with garlic, thyme and lemon. Plus, it adds zip to mild, fresh vegetables like zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, parsnips, and spinach.

Basil is best used fresh in recipes. It should be added at the last moment since cooking quickly destroys the rich, spicy flavor. It is not one that should be added and allowed to simmer.

When ready to pick or purchase basil, look for evenly colored leaves with no sign of wilting. It is best held in a glass of water, stems down, with a plastic bag over the leaves, at room temperature. Putting basil in the refrigerator results in discolored and unattractive leaves. It is easily dried for storing and future use. Use it to flavor soups, stews, tomato dishes, meat, game, fish, egg dishes, or make herb butters and herb vinegars.

If you are fortunate enough to have an abundance of basil, you need to take steps to preserve it. To do so, wash and dry the leaves and place layers of leaves, then coarse salt, in a container that can be tightly sealed, and kept refrigerated. You can also finely chop or puree the cleaned basil and combine it with a small amount of water. Freeze this mixture in ice cube trays to have tiny portions to flavor sauces, salad dressings, etc.

Resources: University of Arkansas - Department of Agriculture