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It's hard to imagine summer without fresh basil growing in pots on the patio and nestled in the garden with the tomatoes and peppers. You may grow it for the wonderful scent and beautiful foliage, but most gardeners consider this annual the one indispensable summer herb for its culinary advantages.
Basil is used fresh, snipped into salads and sauces, or may be frozen or dried for later use. Bring on the tomatoes, the mozzarella, and the pasta; with basil in your garden, your cooking will take an inspired leap. And with so many facets to its flavor, basil rarely overpowers, so you may use it generously.
Growing basil (Ocimum basilicum ) is so easy your first batch of homegrown basil will make you feel like a blue-ribbon gardener. You may not find basil plants stocked in the local nursery after the spring rush, but you will find a wide variety of basil seeds available. Basil seed is quick to germinate and grows well in pots or in the ground. For a $2 investment in a packet of basil seeds, you can harvest almost a year's supply of this wonderful culinary herb.
Like most plants that originated in Mediterranean countries, basil prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Whether in pots or the ground, plant only ¼ inch deep and keep the seed bed moist. If you direct sow in the ground, wait until night temperatures are above sixty degrees. Depending on the variety, seeds will sprout in five to eighteen days. Avoid over watering basil plants, especially seedlings, as they can develop a disease called "damping off" that causes the plant to fall over and die at the base.
Fertilize once during the growing season with a complete fertilizer. To enhance the flavors of hot and sweet peppers and tomatoes, plant basil next to them.
Plants mature in sixty to eighty days but you should harvest the leaves throughout the growing season by cutting off stems where and when needed. Pick leaves about every one to two weeks, and to extend the life of the basil plant, keep the flowers pinched off as they form, as the plant will quit producing leaves after it blooms.
'Sweet Basil' is a catchall term that is given to several basil varieties:
- Lemon has thin downy foliage with a lemony taste and aroma. The
stalks of white flowers, however, shoot up early so there is little to
harvest.
- 'Lettuce Leaf' has large leaves with a sweet taste and is often used
in salads.
-
'Cinnamon' has glossy green leaves and a flavor that strongly
resembles cinnamon. It can be used in salsa.
-
'Genovese Italian' has a strong basil flavor. It's widely grown in
Italy and is recommended for pesto.
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Purple-leafed varieties include 'Red Rubin', with dark uniform
color, 'Dark Opal' with large leaves in a deep bronzy purple, 'Purple
Ruffles' with ruffled leaf edges, and 'Magical Michael', which has
received AIl-America selection status.
Freshly harvested basil can be used in any dish calling for basil; remember to triple the amount when substituting fresh for dried basil. Basil loses its flavor and bright green color in cooking, so add at the last minute to cooked dishes.
The simplest way to preserve basil is to dry it. Hang leafy stems in bundles of three to five upside down with a rubber band or string, in a well-ventilated place away from direct sun. Another way to dry individual leaves is to put them in a single layer on a screen or cheesecloth. When dry, leaves crumble easily. Whole leaves keep the best flavor. Pack whole or dried leaves in clean jars and store in a dark place. Dried basil will last about one year. Basil stems can be cut and put in a vase of water for use in cooking. Many times the stems will root and can be planted in pots and grown inside for use during the winter.
No preparation better displays basils characteristics than pesto. The pesto tradition appears to have begun in the Italian province of Liguria. It consisted of a local sharp sheep cheese, olive oil, basil, and nuts mashed in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle to make a thick, green sauce. One hundred years ago, Parmigiano cheese began to be used in the classic pesto of Genoa. Although some still prefer pesto made the original way with mortar and pestle, using a food processor will make this pesto sauce quickly and easily. This sauce also freezes well, making it another way to extend the summer and the pleasure of growing basil.
Pesto*
- 2 1/4cups lightly packed basil leaves (preferably Genovese Basil),
-
washed 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano,
is recommended)
-
2-3 cloves garlic
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1/4 cup pine nuts
-
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
-
2 tablespoons butter, softened
-
Pinch of salt
Make sure the basil is free of stems and flowers. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Serve with fettuccine or linguine and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Note: to store, pour a film of olive oil over pesto's surface and keep, airtight, in refrigerator for a week or so; or freeze. Can be frozen for up to seven or eight months. Thaw frozen pesto at room temperature, and serve. Do not heat. Yield 1 1/2 cups
*Hollyhocks & Radishes
Cookbook by Bonnie Steward Mickelson
For more information on Gardening, contact your
local Colorado State University Extension office. |
