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How to Use Basil Top whole leaves onto pizza. Finish pasta with whole or thinly sliced leaves. Blend it into sauces. Puree it into soups. Chop it up to add to a salad. Use it to garnish avocado toast. Turn it into an ice cream topping! Jazz up vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries, basil, and a balsamic reduction.
Can you eat basil straight from the plant?
It’s perfectly okay just to pinch the basil from the plant with your fingers. The cut stems and leaves are your basil harvest. I have almost a dozen plants and these provide enough basil every time I harvest to make two batches of pesto – one to eat fresh, one for the freezer.
What part of the basil plant is edible?
Usually, when people eat basil, they prefer the leaves. This pretty much explains 95% of culinary basil use. For the remaining 5%, there are some gourmets as well as artisan chefs that swear by the distinctive aroma and texture of basil flowers. The good news is that basil flowers are quite edible.
What can I use basil leaves for?
Arrange some basil leaves over slices of tomato and mozzarella, then drizzle the dish with olive oil. Add basil to soups, tomato sauces, and stir-fries. Make a marinade with basil, olive oil, and chopped garlic. Add whole, chopped, or torn fresh leaves to a salad.
Should I pick basil from the top or bottom?
Harvesting Larger Amounts: Harvest the leaves from the top down, cutting back up to a third of the total plant height. Be sure to cut or pinch right above a leaf pair rather than leaving a stub. In a few weeks, your basil plants will be ready to harvest again.
Can you eat basil leaves Raw?
The leaves are also commonly used in cooking, though some people eat the leaves raw. Holy basil tastes spicy and bitter. There are many ways to incorporate holy basil into your daily life. You can cook with it, take it in supplement form, or make a tea with it.
How do I use fresh basil leaves?
How to Use Basil Top whole leaves onto pizza. Finish pasta with whole or thinly sliced leaves. Blend it into sauces. Puree it into soups. Chop it up to add to a salad. Use it to garnish avocado toast. Turn it into an ice cream topping! Jazz up vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries, basil, and a balsamic reduction.
Does basil regrow after cutting?
When you clip basil stems back to a fresh set of leaves, you force those leaves to grow, doubling the basil produced on that stem. And as those stems grow, you can pinch them back and double their production – it’s exponential! To remove flowers. Eventually most basil plants produce flowers.
How do you store fresh basil?
How to Store Fresh Basil Cut: Cut your basil about half an inch from the bottom of the stems. Fill: Fill the jar you are using to hold the basil with enough cold water to cover the stems by about an inch. Store: Loosely cover the top of your basil leaves with a GLAD Food Storage Zipper Quart Bag to help keep it fresh.
Can basil be poisonous?
Basil flowers, like the rest of the plant, are considered to be non-toxic to domesticated animals such as dogs, cats and horses under normal circumstances. Basil flowers and leaves do contain plant compounds that can be harmful to their digestive systems when consumed in mass quantities, though.
Are basil flowers good for anything?
Basil flowers are perfectly edible. When sprinkled over a salad, basil flowers impart a mild basil flavor and add a decorative touch. They also make a great garnish for anything that pairs well with basil, such as pasta, cheese or fresh fruit, or plates of meat or vegetables.
When can you pick basil leaves?
Start picking the leaves of basil as soon as the plants are 6 to 8 inches tall. Once temperatures hit 80°F (27°C), basil will really start leafing out. Harvest in the early morning, when leaves are at their juiciest. Make sure to pick the leaves regularly to encourage growth throughout the summer.
What meat goes well with basil?
Basil is a good herb to pair with beef because it is peppery, sort of sweet, and slightly minty. This is an interesting flavor combination to add to savory meats, as it surprises the mouth.
What are the side effects of basil?
But larger medicinal amounts are POSSIBLY UNSAFE. Basil contains a chemical, estragole, which has caused liver cancer in laboratory mice. Bleeding disorders: Basil oils and extracts might slow blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding in people with bleeding disorders.
Can you freeze fresh basil?
ANSWER: Yes, you can freeze fresh basil leaves, but they just need a little help. Basil is a particularly delicate herb because it hates the cold and darkens when cut. Keep in mind any fresh herbs that you freeze will not be entirely the same as fresh. Freezing will change the texture and it won’t be as stable.
How often should basil be watered?
Basil Plant Care Tips Water regularly – basil likes to stay moist and requires approximately 1 inch of water every week. Water deeply at least once a week to keep roots growing deep and the soil moist. Basil growing in containers will need more frequent watering.
