Basil Recipes

 It’s Good to be the King

I am probably one of the few people who do not rush out to the garden for fresh basil at every meal. I'd rather get the dried basil than go outside in this heat and humidity just for a handful of basil.

Despite this quirk, if someone asks me what herbs I like, basil is undoubtedly the first I list and reigns as the King in my garden. After freezing and drying, what else is there to do with basil? Realistically, how much pesto can you store in your freezer, fridge, and pantry? Okay, a lot! But here are a few other ideas for using up your basil.

Infused Oils and Vinegars

Infused oils and vinegars are simple to make, taste great and even make great gifts during the holidays. Pair an infused oil with some delicious crusty bread for dipping, or an infused vinegar with some salad tongs and bowl!

Tuscan Butter

Tuscan Butter

I just made this for lunch this week. It's basil, garlic, and sundried tomatoes in butter. Spread on crackers…YUM! And it can be frozen for use later. I'm thinking of trying it on spaghetti squash next, or maybe zucchini noodles! Pro tip: don't follow a recipe-just go to taste! The recipe I used needed more basil and sundried tomatoes for me; I may have added extra garlic to begin with.

Raspberry Basil Sorbet

Raspberries are ready at Shaw's Orchard, and I stopped after work to pick some. I'm not a fan of raspberry seeds, but I ran them through the juicer, mixed them with basil simple syrup, and then froze.

Simple syrup is simple! It is 1 part sugar to 1 part liquid, boiled down to a thicker consistency. And I know there is an easier way to do this, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't make it a bit difficult. I place basil and water in a small crockpot and leave it on warm, usually for a day. I am a firm believer that gentle heat and a cover make a better infusion, especially with aromatic herbs such as basil. This also produces a lot of basil-infused water that freezes much better than simple syrup and allows me to enjoy it all winter long!

To finish the simple syrup, mix the infused water with sugar and boil it down. Or just add the basil-infused ice to ¼ cup pureed watermelon and a small can of Sprite for a quick spritzer!

Tea

Tulsi Tea

Culinary herbs were familiar to me when I started working at Valley View, but holy basil, or tulsi, was something that I had never heard of. It quickly became one that I talked about to everyone who would listen.

Holy basil falls under the term of adaptogen, a type of herb that helps to regulate stress in your body. How wonderful is that?!

I used holy basil, peach, and sage to make a nourishing infusion. Basically, I steep them in hot water and allow them to cool. I usually just let it sit overnight and strain it in the morning. To drink, I mix about 1/4 cup with a small can of club soda to make it bubbly. Pro tip: a little sage goes a LONG way. I was originally planning to use lemon balm, but couldn't find it in the cabinet when I looked. Of course, I found it the next morning!

Tulsi Tea

I have a couple more recipes that I want to try. One recipe is for peach bread with basil that I am going to foist onto my coworkers to see if it is any good. So, what are you planning on doing with your basil?

Written and photographed by guest blogger, Jen Kostick.