Beautiful Basil --
The WEBB Cooks by Robyn Webb, MS, LN
Like swimming pools and ice cream cones, herbs are part of the fabric of sweet summertime. And basil is one of the best of the bunch. From symbolizing love in Italy to grief in Crete, basil pairs beautifully with most summer produce. After all ... tomatoes and basil are the best example of a match made in pure culinary heaven. Since fresh herbs are so powerfully potent in flavor, they are the perfect substitute for the excesses of salt, sugar and fat in our diets.
Nothing compares to the taste of fresh basil. Fresh basil leaves blended with water and frozen in ice cube trays or strong basil vinegar are welcome reminders of summer when the snow is banked around your front door. And bits of basil snipped into soups or stews can extend the summer sunshine into the winter darkness.
Basil, like all herbs, is very simple to grow. You'll require soil (earth or soil for potted basil), sun and water. Basil grows best from a plant, so purchase a small one and replant it into your garden, or a large pot with good drainage. Give it a little love and watch it blossom! Each day, cut it back a little to prevent the basil from flowering.
Think beyond planting Mediterranean basil. There are many forms of basil to choose from. Try Thai basil, with its sweet taste and thin elegant leaves. Or how about purple basil, with its delightful color and slightly ruffled leaves. Then there is lemon basil that hints at a fresh citrus flavor.
To prepare basil for adding into foods, simply stack about 4-5 leaves of even size on top of each other. Roll the stack into a short cigar-like form. Starting on one end, slice through the basil to the other end. This cut is called chiffonade, French for "made of rags," as it looks as if you've torn the leaves into a rag-like consistency. Continue to chop the basil to the size desired.
When adding basil into cooked foods, it should actually be added towards the end of the cooking time. Basil, like most herbs, preserves its flavor better when exposed to less heat. Spices, on the other hand, do much better when added early on in the cooking process, as it seems to take away the "raw" taste of a spice and deepens its flavor.
Pesto is a glorious way to celebrate the merits of fresh basil. And yet, there are so many more inventive ways to use this stunning herb. Try some of these ideas.
- Treat basil as a green for your salads. Add leaves of basil along with your favorite greens, about 1/4 cup for every 2 cups of greens. Lemon basil in particular is wonderful for salads.
- For a decidedly different summer treat, drizzle a mustardy vinaigrette over a platter of fresh, juicy cantaloupe and sliced tomatoes. Then sprinkle with a heaping portion of chopped basil.
- Prepare a recipe of vegetable pancakes using carrots or zucchini. Add a tablespoon of fresh minced basil to the batter.
- Make fresh tomato soup by adding a tablespoon or more fresh minced basil.
- Add chopped basil to any white bean salad.
- Tuck a few basil leaves into any homemade wrap sandwich.
- Eggs and basil are a nice combination. Instead of the usual dill added to deviled eggs, substitute basil instead. Or add chopped basil to any frittata or omelet.
No taste more truly spells summer than warm, slightly spicy basil basking right in your backyard. According to many certified herbalists, if you rhyme basil with the word dazzle, your pronunciation will be perfect. In my opinion, basil is one of the most dazzling herbs around!
SUNDRIED TOMATO AND BASIL DIP
makes 12 servings / serving size: about 2 tablespoons
preparation time: 8 minutes
cook time: 0 minutes
exchanges: 1 vegetable
calories: 33
calories from fat: 10
total fat: 1 g
saturated fat: 1 g
cholesterol: 8 mg
sodium: 104 mg
carbohydrate: 3 g
dietary fiber: 0 g
sugars: 1 g
protein: 4 g
Ingredients
1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
10 sundried tomatoes, rehydrated (not the oil packed, sundried tomatoes) and diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced
1 tsp. chives, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients by hand and mix well. Serve with assorted raw vegetables or whole grain crackers.
