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Garden Gate:  Basil drying  |
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celebrate2727
True Blue Farmgirl
989 Posts
Beth
MJF
Farmgirl
989 Posts |
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katie-ell
True Blue Farmgirl
1818 Posts
Katie
Illinois
1818 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 24 2006 : 06:16:06 AM
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| I usually freeze my basil, either in pesto cubes in a freezer bag or chopped up with a bit of olive oil and into a freezer bag. Haven't tried drying -- frozen basil keeps that fresh taste and lovely green. |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2006 : 06:27:26 AM
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I agree..I never dry mine..but I do know that you CAN..it changes color and isn't as fragrant and nice dried from what I have heard so I always freeze or make pesto..mostly make pesto....it freezes beautifully in the tiny 4 oz canning jars.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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celebrate2727
True Blue Farmgirl
989 Posts
Beth
MJF
Farmgirl
989 Posts |
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cmandle
True Blue Farmgirl
846 Posts
Catherine
Minneapolis
MN
846 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2006 : 09:02:10 AM
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Hi Beth! I also have tons of basil right now and frankly, am getting sick of pesto! But I've made a ton anyway and froze all of it (in little 4oz tupperwares). I use this recipe:
1 cup packed basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
1/4 shredded parmesan cheese
2 cloves chopped garlic
Put it all in a food processor and there you go!
I have dried basil in our dehydrator and it turns out okay. I plan to do that again. I use the mortar/pestle to crunch it down after drying and then store it in little baby food jars. I've always wondered, how is the store-bought basil dried and why is it better than homemade dried basil?! Oh well, I still get a good enough basil taste from it to add to my soups all winter long!
Any other ideas for what to do with A LOT of basil??
Catherine
http://yogurtandgranola.blogspot.com |
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Nance in France
True Blue Farmgirl
1438 Posts
Nancy
St. Laurent de la Salanque
France
1438 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2006 : 10:01:39 AM
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Beth, I have used the other ladies' methods of freezing, too, and they work well. The pesto recipe I have is 4 cups of basil leaves, 3/4 cup olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, pine nuts optional and parmesan to taste....I put it in the cuisinart and then either into the tiny tupperware containers or the tiny canning jars. I also like to use an icecube tray and after the pesto cubes are frozen, pop them into small freezer bags. I have a good soup recipe that calls for pesto and I drop one of these cubes in and it adds just the right punch.
NOTE: The recipe I always use said to add parmesan after the pesto has been defrosted and warmed, so I never added it before freezing (good to know that obviously it works that way too!).
For drying herbs, always leave the leaves whole because every cut surface lets the essential oil escape. Store away from sunlight or stove heat, too. Bon appetit! Nance |
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garliclady
True Blue Farmgirl
274 Posts
Reidsville
NC
274 Posts |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2006 : 1:30:29 PM
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beth .. i just hang mine to dry .. don't usually 'use' it afterwards .. just love to look at it and grab a few leafs from time to time .. crush them and ummmmmmm smell them!
i've only made pesto once .. but i'm gonna' do it TONIGHT .. my plants are getting really big .. might even try freezing some! xo
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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katie-ell
True Blue Farmgirl
1818 Posts
Katie
Illinois
1818 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2006 : 2:54:47 PM
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| I love doing the pesto in cube trays, then pop them into the freezer bags. Makes minestrone soup smell like heaven! (I include the parmesan in the pesto -- and I add a tiny film of olive oil on top of each cubette to seal in the color when freezing. Just the way I learned.) |
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Nance in France
True Blue Farmgirl
1438 Posts
Nancy
St. Laurent de la Salanque
France
1438 Posts |
Posted - Aug 25 2006 : 02:49:28 AM
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| Oh, I LIKE that idea of a thin film of olive oil; definitely going to do that next time!! And boy would I love to be enjoying the overwhelming bounty some of ya'll are experiencing! Whoever said it earlier was right, some years basil sort of sits there and other years it grows like a house afire. Here I am in a mediterranean climate (that it is supposed to THRIVE in) and it is really being stingy with the leaves!! I am going to walk by it later on and whisper "compost pile" and see if that scares it into production... Nance |
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MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
Posted - Sep 01 2006 : 11:10:26 AM
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I use a dehydrator also. I do like to hang some herbs for decoration & scent, but I don't these to cook with.
After the dehydrator, I use my coffee mill to grind them and store in canning jars.
Cyndi
Muller's Lane Farm http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
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Garden Gate: Basil drying |
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Basil drying
