'Herb king' basil reigns over favorite summer fare

Sweet basil tastes like summer.

Basil comes to us from India, where it has been cultivated for 5,000 years. There are endless varieties — Thai, African Blue, Lemon, Pineapple, Cinnamon — in a rainbow of colors — purple, pale green, dark green and variegated.

Asian cuisines use Thai basil prominently. But sweet basil comes to us from the Mediterranean region, where it is a staple of Italian cuisine, perhaps because basil goes so well with all of the many Mediterranean vegetables — eggplant, squash, garlic, onions and (most of all) tomatoes.

The name comes from the Greek word for king — basileus. The French call it “Herb Royale.” It just wouldn’t be the summer season without the king of the herbs.

If you want to venture into “growing your own,” basil is a good place to start. It grows well in pots or the ground and can act as an insect repellant to other plants. Nurseries and farmers markets have plentiful plant starts right now.

Let it dry out between waterings. Pinch the leafy tips and blossoms off to keep the plant producing. The blossoms are edible and have the same bright, lemony flavor as the leaves.

Basil stalks should be available at the farmers markets throughout the summer or at groceries, so there’s no excuse not to brighten up salads, grilled meats, roasted vegetables or pastas with fresh herbs.

Trim stems, and store in a vase or glass of water for a week or more on your countertop. Or try the basil with roots still attached, available at many groceries. Any stems not used fresh can be dried indoors, hung from a cabinet pull or laid out on a wire rack. Once dry, store in a Mason jar or other airtight container. You’ll have the fresh taste of basil to enjoy all winter long.

The secret to chopping basil is the technique called “chiffonade,” which means “ribbons” in French. The thin leaves get crushed and are difficult to chop if you just cut them one at a time or loose. Stack five or six leaves on top of one another, and roll the stack into a cigar-shaped log. Slice the roll thinly, and enjoy the delicate ribbons.

Fresh basil should be added at the last minute to cooked items. Long cooking will diminish the flavor. So even if you’re ordering delivery pizza, some fresh basil added from your garden makes it a “local” treat.

Herbs take minimal effort to grow or prepare, yet they add so much to food. Chives, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, mint and oregano are all great to have on hand, but let the king reign over summer fare.

Melissa Petersen is the editor of Edible Memphis, a magazine that celebrates the abundance of local food, season by season. It is available at various locations around town. Contact her at [email protected].

Lemon-Basil Mayonnaise

1/2 cup basil leaves, cut chiffonade

Zest from 1 lemon

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Chill, covered until ready to use on sandwiches (try it with thinly sliced tomato and cucumber.)

Source: Recipe by Melissa Petersen

Pickled Onion and Basil Crostini

1 cup red wine or rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp. light brown sugar

1 tbsp. pickling spice

2 red or sweet onions, thinly sliced

1 baguette, sliced

Olive oil

Salt

1 cup fresh goat cheese, at room temperature

Fresh basil, chopped

In a medium saucepan, over high heat, bring vinegar, brown sugar and pickling spice to a boil. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool and store covered, in the refrigerator, in a glass container (a Mason jar works well), until ready to use.

Brush sliced baguettes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill each side of bread until marked and toasted. Spread each toast with goat cheese. Top with 1-2 teaspoons of pickled onion and garnish with chopped basil. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from recipe Tia Harrison

More on herbs

Learn more about herbs at the 2012 Herb Symposium June 9, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Memphis Botanic Garden. Culinary demos, making salves, medicinal herb walks, herbal market with books, plants, herbal items and more. Memphis Botanic Garden or Memphis Herb Society members: $100; nonmembers $125. Call (901) 636-4128. For more information or to register: go to memphisbotanic garden.com.

Bill & Sheila’s A-Z of herbs

If you require a high quality printout of this article, just click on the printer symbol next to ’Share and enjoy’, and we will do the rest.

Get the best website builder available anywhere –SBI! Click here for more information

Return from basil to Home Page

If you want to increase your site popularity and gain thousands of visitors – check out these sites THEY ARE FREE. Spanishchef more than doubled its ‘New Visitors’ last month simply by signing up to these sites: