Basil

[Mad Cook]

A couple of months ago I bought a small supermarket pot of basil. Now I rarely have any luck with basil but I put it on the window sill in the kitchen where it would get plenty of light and partial sunshine. To my surprise it grew. And it grew, And it grew, And it carried on growing. It's now in a deep 8" diameter pot and I can't see out of the kitchen window. I think it's aiming at world domination.

Anyway, I'm sick and tired of pasta with pesto, tomato and basil soup (hot and cold), tomato & basil salad, grilled tomatoes with basil, ratatouille with basil, green salad with basil, basil on pizza, basil on anything with mozzarella and omelette with basil. I've tried iy with strawberries too, whch was OK but not earth shhattering. A friend suggested that I lined the baking tin for a pound cake with basil leaves - don't do it is my advice. It might work with pelargonium leaves but it doesn't with basil leaves.

Any recommendations? Not involving tomatoes or pasta would be good.

 

[TATTRAT]

Basil can be fun in some mixed drinks, especially anything with pineapple involved, heck, if you have access to an ice cream machine, pineapple-basil sorbet is a real refreshing treat.
Even if you don't have a machine, you can make a granita pretty easily.

4c Pineapple juice
1.5c Sugar

Put in pan, bring to simmer, dissolve sugar, steep basil to taste. Put in shallow pan, put it in the freezer, give it a stir ever 20min or so until it's frozen.

 

[Mad Cook]

Basil can be fun in some mixed drinks, especially anything with pineapple involved, heck, if you have access to an ice cream machine, pineapple-basil sorbet is a real refreshing treat.
Even if you don't have a machine, you can make a granita pretty easily.

4c Pineapple juice
1.5c Sugar

Put in pan, bring to simmer, dissolve sugar, steep basil to taste. Put in shallow pan, put it in the freezer, give it a stir ever 20min or so until it's frozen.

Now THAT is a good idea. Thanks TATRAT.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Basil works very well with some veggies. Here are a few ideas:

First, when I type EVOO, it means extra virgin olive oil.

Coat fresh green beans with oil and basil, fry over medium beat until done (Green beans should be slightly crispy, not tender all the way through)

Place cut carrot rounds into a casserole dish with butter, honey, and basil. Bake until done.

Combine diced potato, onion, garlic, rutabaga, and basil, with S & P together to be used in meat pie, tortiere, or pasties

Add basil between layers of potato in Potatoes Anna.

Cut potatoes in wedges, dress with olive oil and basil, then roast until golden brown.

This site - Desserts with Basil | Epicurious.com has deserts that feature basil, and they look very interesting.

Your pesto is not only for pasta, mix it with a bit of mayo and spread it in your next BLT.

Add a little basil to 3 bean salad.

Add to potato salad.

Sprinkle EVOO and basil onto fish and place onto a large piece of aluminum foil. Add diced carrot, onion, and potato. Fold the foil to make a hobo dinner. Bake 40 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Sprinkle basil on baked fish.

Saute shrimp in butter, then dress with lime and basil, or honey and basil.

Rub you pesto all over chicken and let sit for 30 minutes. Then bake, roast, fry, grill, or barbecue. You can even turn it into soup if you want.

Basil and cheese on fresh Bruschetta (Bead that's been spread with EVOO toasted over flame, then rubbed with fresh garlic), need I say more?

Tomato-shrimp aspic with basil.

Ham roll ups - use thinly sliced ham, or prosciutto, ricotta or mascapone cheese, fresh basil leaf, and something like asparagus to roll it all around. Stick a toothpick through it, and serve.

Basil, oil, and balsamic vinegar combine to make a grand salad dressing.

Black beans, corn, and basil, with butter.

Corn pudding with basil.

Cornbread with basil.

Add basil to shredded beef, with swill, or mozzarella cheese to make glorious sandwiches.

Ok, so take these ideas, and make them up, or use them to inspire you to even more ideas.

Enjoy your basil.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Dawgluver]

How about a non-food use? Dry it and make sachets, either use by itself, or combine with other fragrant herbs and spices like lavendar, lemonbalm, cinnamon, pelargonium, rose petals, mint. Put it in little cloth bags and tuck in drawers, under pillows, in closets.

You can also use it to make a tea. Google "basil tea," and you'll find some interesting ideas, some are in combination with regular tea, strawberries, mint, etc. (Yes, I know I'm talking to a Brit about tea...)

 

[menumaker]

You must make Basil Ice cream MC. It really is wonderful. I serve it with warm fruit tarts, compote of rhubarb, chocolate fondants. In fact, I buy a pot in Lydl, separate out into 5-6 'plants', put into a window box, similar to what you have done purely to make this ice-cream with. ( as well as using it for fresh tomato salad of course)
Here is my recipe;
1 large bunch Basil leaves
8ozs Caster sugar
5ozs Mascarpone
1lb 6ozs greek style yoghurt.


Blend Basil leaves with the sugar to make a puree. Add all other ingredients and pour into your ice-cream machine. Proceed as usual depending on machines recommendations.
I will leave you to convert to metric measures as a bit rushed just now but I have to own up and say that I double-up this recipe and make 2 batches in one session.

 

[merstar]

I love this recipe, and have made it many times:
CURRIED COUSCOUS SALAD WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES
Curried Couscous Salad with Dried Cranberries Recipe | MyRecipes.com

Here are some on my to-try list:
CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE AND BASIL
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/2749

BASMATI RICE WITH BASIL AND MINT
Basmati Rice with Basil and Mint Recipe | MyRecipes.com

LUXURY SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH CREAM CHEESE AND SPRING HERBS
http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/luxury-scrambled-eggs

 

[Mad Cook]

Basil works very well with some veggies. Here are a few ideas:

First, when I type EVOO, it means extra virgin olive oil.

Coat fresh green beans with oil and basil, fry over medium beat until done (Green beans should be slightly crispy, not tender all the way through)

Place cut carrot rounds into a casserole dish with butter, honey, and basil. Bake until done.

Combine diced potato, onion, garlic, rutabaga, and basil, with S & P together to be used in meat pie, tortiere, or pasties

Add basil between layers of potato in Potatoes Anna.

Cut potatoes in wedges, dress with olive oil and basil, then roast until golden brown.

This site - Desserts with Basil | Epicurious.com has deserts that feature basil, and they look very interesting.

Your pesto is not only for pasta, mix it with a bit of mayo and spread it in your next BLT.

Add a little basil to 3 bean salad.

Add to potato salad.

Sprinkle EVOO and basil onto fish and place onto a large piece of aluminum foil. Add diced carrot, onion, and potato. Fold the foil to make a hobo dinner. Bake 40 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Sprinkle basil on baked fish.

Saute shrimp in butter, then dress with lime and basil, or honey and basil.

Rub you pesto all over chicken and let sit for 30 minutes. Then bake, roast, fry, grill, or barbecue. You can even turn it into soup if you want.

Basil and cheese on fresh Bruschetta (Bead that's been spread with EVOO toasted over flame, then rubbed with fresh garlic), need I say more?

Tomato-shrimp aspic with basil.

Ham roll ups - use thinly sliced ham, or prosciutto, ricotta or mascapone cheese, fresh basil leaf, and something like asparagus to roll it all around. Stick a toothpick through it, and serve.

Basil, oil, and balsamic vinegar combine to make a grand salad dressing.

Black beans, corn, and basil, with butter.

Corn pudding with basil.

Cornbread with basil.

Add basil to shredded beef, with swill, or mozzarella cheese to make glorious sandwiches.

Ok, so take these ideas, and make them up, or use them to inspire you to even more ideas.

Enjoy your basil.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Thanks, Chief.

 

[Mad Cook]

How about a non-food use? Dry it and make sachets, either use by itself, or combine with other fragrant herbs and spices like lavendar, lemonbalm, cinnamon, pelargonium, rose petals, mint. Put it in little cloth bags and tuck in drawers, under pillows, in closets.

You can also use it to make a tea. Google "basil tea," and you'll find some interesting ideas, some are in combination with regular tea, strawberries, mint, etc. (Yes, I know I'm talking to a Brit about tea...)

If I actually knew where the sewing machine is.....

Despite my origins I hadn't thought of basil in herb tea

 

[Mad Cook]

I love this recipe, and have made it many times:
CURRIED COUSCOUS SALAD WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES
Curried Couscous Salad with Dried Cranberries Recipe | MyRecipes.com

Here are some on my to-try list:
CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE AND BASIL
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/2749

BASMATI RICE WITH BASIL AND MINT
Basmati Rice with Basil and Mint Recipe | MyRecipes.com

LUXURY SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH CREAM CHEESE AND SPRING HERBS
Luxury Scrambled Eggs | The Splendid Table

Thanks

 

[Breathing Couch]

i add herbs to my eggs. but i can't imagine having too much basil ....

 

[GotGarlic]

i add herbs to my eggs. but i can't imagine having too much basil ....

Same here

Every summer, I make lots of pesto and freeze it in one-cup containers to have during the winter. I also puree and freeze a mixture of water and basil in ice-cube trays. When they're frozen, move them to plastic freezer bags. Throw cube or two in soups and stews during the winter. Yum

 

[Mad Cook]

You must make Basil Ice cream MC. It really is wonderful. I serve it with warm fruit tarts, compote of rhubarb, chocolate fondants. In fact, I buy a pot in Lydl, separate out into 5-6 'plants', put into a window box, similar to what you have done purely to make this ice-cream with. ( as well as using it for fresh tomato salad of course)
Here is my recipe;
1 large bunch Basil leaves
8ozs Caster sugar
5ozs Mascarpone
1lb 6ozs greek style yoghurt.


Blend Basil leaves with the sugar to make a puree. Add all other ingredients and pour into your ice-cream machine. Proceed as usual depending on machines recommendations.
I will leave you to convert to metric measures as a bit rushed just now but I have to own up and say that I double-up this recipe and make 2 batches in one session.

Sorry, Menumaker, I had missed this when I was on before. Definitely will try the basil ice cream. I sometimes do three ices for dessert when I have people to dinner - for example lime and ginger sorbet, coconut ice cream and mango ice cream in three scoops on a plate with langue de chats or almond tuilles. I could use your basil ice cream with a pineapple sorbet and ... something else (I'll have to think about that). It would be good as a bombe with basil icecream on the outside and pineapple sorbet in the middle. Thanks very much

 

[Mad Cook]

Same here

Every summer, I make lots of pesto and freeze it in one-cup containers to have during the winter. I also puree and freeze a mixture of water and basil in ice-cube trays. When they're frozen, move them to plastic freezer bags. Throw cube or two in soups and stews during the winter. Yum

As I said, I'm not usually very lucky with basil plants so don't have much basil around in the winter so I (whisper) use the pesto out of a jar in winter. This year I may freeze some pesto for the winter. It's good for adding to soups

 

[Breathing Couch]

pesto in soup? i must try that !!

 

[Somebunny]

How about Basil Lemonade? We had this at my daughter's wedding reception. It was a great alternative to soft drinks and very tasty. There are several recipes on the net.
Giada De Laurentiis has a good one.

 

[Mad Cook]

How about Basil Lemonade? We had this at my daughter's wedding reception. It was a great alternative to soft drinks and very tasty. There are several recipes on the net.
Giada De Laurentiis has a good one.

Now that I must try.

Thanks everyone