What's Cookin' - Basil

Published May 14, 2008 in The Spectrum & Daily News

By Kathryn van Roosendaal

Everyone has some aroma, some special scent that they just can’t get enough of. For me it’s the smell of fresh basil.

I love to stick my face right into the plant and breathe its crisp, spicy scent as deeply into my lungs as I can. Basil’s scent is an oxymoron – warm yet cool, airy yet earthy, clove-like and almost minty with just a hint of citrus … just to keep your nose guessing.

I’m not the only one to thing basil is something special. According to legend, basil was found growing on Christ’s tomb after the resurrection, which is why some Greek Orthodox churches use it to prepare holy water. In India it is thought to be imbued with divine essence and people will swear their oaths upon it. And in Haiti and other nearby islands it is sacred to their love goddess and is carried for protection.

All that and it tastes good, too.

I probably use basil more than any other herb or spice, up to and including salt and pepper. I have to add some to any dish with tomatoes in it. Ditto for garlicky dishes. I will throw shredded basil leaves into green salads or layer the leaves on a sandwich to add some extra zing. I use it with chicken, pork, fish, beef, lamb, turkey, shrimp, scallops, potatoes, asparagus, zucchini, acorn squash … you get the picture.

Basil is a little more difficult to grow than some other herbs because it doesn’t handle abuse well. It is a tropical plant so it needs a warm sunny location that doesn’t get scorching sun in the afternoon. The soil can be poor, but it needs to be well-drained and kept moist. It only takes one day of forgetting to water it in our scorching Southern Utah summers and it will wither and die. It also doesn’t tolerate cold at all. Fortunately it grows very well in pots, inside or out, so if you have an east-facing window sill you have an ideal spot for growing basil. If you decide to grow it outside, plant it with your tomatoes, putting seedlings out at the same time and watering them the same amount.

Basic Pesto

Considering my love of basil, it probably comes as no surprise that this is my favorite sauce for pasta. You can play with this basic recipe by using pecans instead of pine nuts or replacing the Parmesan cheese with Romano. Or you can mix it with Alfredo sauce for creamy pesto.

1 cup basil leaves, firmly packed

1/2 cup parsley leaves, firmly packed

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 large clove garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine the basil leaves, parsley leaves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and salt in a blender or food processor. Process by pulsing on and off until a paste forms. Gradually add the olive oil and process until the pesto is the consistency of soft butter. Serve warm or chilled over pasta. Can be frozen for future use. Makes enough pesto for 12 servings.

Basil-Infused Oil

You can use just about any herb to flavor oil, but my favorite is basil. You can use it for sautéing or stir frying or use it as a salad dressing or marinade.

Fresh basil leaves

Extra virgin olive oil OR sunflower oil

Loosely fill a clear jar with the basil leaves. Pour the oil over the leaves until they are covered. Cover the top of the jar with cheesecloth or waxed paper and set the jar in a sunny window. Allow to steep for 2 weeks, stirring daily. Strain the oil and check the flavor. If the basil flavor isn’t strong enough, return the oil to the jar with fresh leaves and steep for another 2 weeks. Store the finished oil in a capped bottle in the cupboard.