Uses for fresh basil?

[lightningandsnow]

I was making pasta with fresh basil last night, and now I have quite a bit left over.

Any ways I could use it, besides pesto? I have a jar of pesto if the fridge already and I don't have enough basil for it, anyway.

[Darth_Kitten]

1. Dry it. :)

and safe it for later.

I don't know what else to use basil for, except tomato sauce and/or soup. :)

[LiberalEsto]

2. Freeze it

Rinse, shake off excess water, put in ziploc bag and freeze.
Next time you make pasta, pull out a froze leaf or two and drop them in the sauce.

I freeze most of my small basil crop every fall and enjoy the taste of summer all winter and spring.

[pitohui]

12. that's what i do too

it's so hot here that basil has a way of going to flower very fast around here, keep those leaves picked back and just stick them in the freezer

works very well for me

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. fry the remaining basil and serve it on soup

[Midlodemocrat]

4. Get some nice Italian bread, fresh mozzarella and a Roma tomato

place a slice of tomato, a slice of mozzarella, some shredded basil on the bread, pour balsamic vinagrette over it. You won't believe how delicious it is.

[RainDog]

5. for non-vegans only!

(please avert your eyes because I'm gonna talk about the other white meat.)

chop it up into fine pieces and mix it with some chopped garlic, coarse ground pepper, and a little olive oil. smear this on all sides of a pork roast and cook till done. turn it a few times.

[RadiationTherapy]

6. I put basil in every savory dish I make.

It's is awesome with fried rice and veggies.

[NMDemDist2]

7. I use basil in my Beef Stronogoff

it's my 'secret'

[BeachBaby]

8. Bruschetta.

Yummy stuff that you just spoon on top of some toasted Italian bread.
Okay - now I am hungry. :)

[lightningandsnow]

9. Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

I think I shall make some with dinner tonight.

[JCMach1]

10. Take the flowers and leaves and place them inside your olive oil bottle and vinegar bottles

to infuse them with Basil goodness!

[KatyaR]

11. Freshly chopped basil is wonderful in tomato soup.

I also like to use it on cheese pizza--even the microwaveable kind. Sprinkle it on right after you take it out of the microwave or oven, and the heat releases the basil fragrance. It's totally yummy.

[lost-in-nj]

13. make a pesto sauce

and freeze for another day!!

http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/pestosauce.htm



lost


:hi:

[seemunkee]

14. Thai chicken basil or Margherita Pizza

http://www.thaitable.com/Thai/recipes/Chicken_Basil.htm

[MorningGlow]

15. Fresh tomato and mozzarella salad

Gitcherself some vine-ripened tomatoes and chop them into small pieces (cherry or grape tomatoes work well too). Cut up some fresh mozzarella into pieces about the same size (if you can get small mozzarella balls, just cut them in half), chop up the basil, and mix it all with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Makes a GREAT alternative to regular iceberg lettuce salad. It's especially good in summer, but I make it all year round.