16 February, 2018
Recipes Using Fresh Basil And How To Use Basil
Basil is a common name for the herb Ocimum basilicum of the Lamiaceae (mint) family.
There are many varieties of basil, as well as several related species and hybrid species, for example, sweet basil, Thai basil, lemon basil, holy basil, etc.
Basil grows to 30 – 130cm tall with opposite light green silky leaves.
The flowers are small and white in color and arranged in a terminal spike.
Here are some recipes using fresh basil and below how to use basil.
Did you know that apart from using basil in recipes, you can also use it for health and beauty benefits – see below?
4 Recipes Using Fresh Basil
Zucchini Basil Muffins
These muffins are delicious and one of my favorite recipes using fresh basil.
You Will Need:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup full cream milk
1 cup olive oil
2 1/2 cups white flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely cut fresh basil leaves
Method:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit or 200 degrees Celsius and grease some muffin tins.
Combine the eggs, milk, and oil in a large bowl.
Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in another bowl and add to the liquid mixture in batches, stirring to blend. Make sure not to over blend.
Add the zucchini and the basil and stir to blend.
Fill each muffin cup about 1/2 full.
Sprinkle the top with cheese.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes for regular sized muffins and 15 – 20 minutes for the mini muffins, until the tops are golden brown and puffy.
Serve while still warm.
Basil, Pea, And Bacon Macaroni
You will need:
6 rashers streaky bacon chopped
2 leeks, finely sliced into rings
1 tbsp vegetable oil
5 oz (140g) frozen peas
14 oz (400g) macaroni
7 oz (200g) pack soft cheese
3 oz (85g) mature cheddar cheese grated
1 tbsp English mustard
Small Bunch of basil shredded
Method:
Fry the bacon and leaks in the oil for about 10 minutes until the bacon is crisp and the leeks soft
Tip in the peas and heat through.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta and heat the grill to high.
Reserve 150ml (5 fl oz) of the cooking water before you drain the pasta, then add it, together with the soft cheese, half the grated cheddar and the mustard to the pan with the veg.
Stir until the cheese melts into a creamy sauce.
Stir in the pasta and most of the basil, then sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
Grill for 2 – 3 minutes until the cheese melts.
Sprinkle with basil to serve.
Basil, Courgette, and Almond Pasta
You Will Need:
6 oz (175g) pasta
2 tbsp toasted almonds
2 small courgettes or 1 medium one
1 garlic clove
2 tsp olive oil
3 rounded tbsp of grated parmesan
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
Cook the pasta according to the instructions.
Finely chop the almonds.
Chop the courgettes into small chunks.
Crush the garlic and strip the basil leaves from the stalks.
Heat oil in a large frying pan and fry the courgette for 2 -3 minutes until just starting to get soft.
Throw in the garlic and half the basil and cook for an extra minute.
Drain the pasta and add to the courgettes, along with the almonds, rest of the basil, the parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Toss everything together and serve with extra parmesan on the side.
And the last of the recipes using fresh basil……..a dessert!
Basil And Honey Warm Peaches
You Will Need:
25g unsalted butter
2 ripe peaches, stoned and thickly sliced
2 tbsp clear honey
juice of 1 orange
8 – 10 basil leaves, shredded
vanilla ice cream
Method:
Melt the butter in a frying pan.
Add the peaches and cook both sides until slightly softened (about 3 minutes).
Add the honey and stir to make a sauce.
Add orange juice and allow to bubble briefly.
Stir in the basil and serve warm with scoops of ice cream.
Hope you enjoy these recipes using fresh basil above. Remember using fresh basil works better than using the dried form.
Best Tips On How To Use Basil
Always try to choose fresh basil over the dried version, since the fresh version is far superior in flavor.
The leaves of fresh basil should look vibrant and green in color, and free from dark spots and yellowing.
If purchasing dried basil, try to select organically grown basil since this will give you more assurance that it is not bee irradiated, which does decrease it vitamin C and carotenoid content.
Store fresh basil in the fridge wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel. You can also freeze it either whole or chopped in airtight containers.
It is a great idea to freeze the basil in ice cube trays covered with water or stock so you can just pop it in when preparing soups and stews.
How To Grow Your Own Basil
Basil is very sensitive to cold and grows best in hot, dry conditions.
Basil need 6 – 8 hours of sun per day, so make sure you choose the perfect sunny spot.
It grows better outdoors, but can be gown indoors and kept away from extremely cold drafts.
Space your basil at a distance of 12 – 18 inches (30 – 45 cm) apart for optimal growth. Because basil is frost sensitive, keep them protected during the cold months.
Basil does best in rich, moist soil. Because it is harvested continually for the leaves it will need fertilizer added to the soil.
If you are planting basil in a container, use a large pot to keep the plats from drying out quickly in hot weather.
Adding mulch to keep the soil moist also helps to extend the time between watering.
Make sure the plant has good drainage to avoid the roots from rotting.
Roots should also not get to dry either.
If your plants get to the point where they are making seeds and have stopped growing, shear off the top third of the stems and fertilize with liquid fertilizer. Never cut the woody part of the stem or the plant won’t sprout back.
How To Use Basil For Beauty
Here are some beauty and health tips that use basil:
- Massaging basil oil into your scalp energizes both you and your hair.
- To heal wounds, cuts, use dry basil leaves, add alum, grind and sieve well and store the powder in a clean glass bottle. Apply this mixture to wounds and cuts.
- To alleviate painful burns, apply equal amounts of basil juice and coconut oil mixture.
- To tighten pores, make a face pack using one egg white and basil paste. Gently rub the mixture onto your face, particularly on the affected areas of the skin. Wash off the face pack after 20 minutes while scrubbing gently.
- Relieve skin irritation by applying basil paste. This works well on skin irritations from plucked hair.
- Prevent hair loss with basil oil. Mix a few drops of basil oil with coconut oil. Warm the mixture and gently massage it into your scalp. Leave overnight and wash off with a mild shampoo. This will ease itching and improve the circulation. It also cleanses the roots and scalp.
- Prevent dandruff by preparing a mixture of henna, hibiscus leaves, and basil leaves.
- Applying freshly plucked basil leaves on insect bites will alieve the itching.
- Because basil is loaded with antibacterial, antibiotic and anti-fungal properties, basil makes an ideal natural remedy for various skin infections including ringworm and vitiligo.
- For a clean a clear skin eat the leaves of this plant. Basil purifies the blood and eliminates the toxins, thus healing and preventing eruptions on the skin.
- Place one leaf on either side of the nose and leave it for five minutes before removing and washing off with lukewarm water. This clears blackheads if you do it regularly.
- Try this purifying mask for problem skins – mix crushed basil leaves with neem, turmeric, sandalwood powder and lemon juice. Apply it on your face daily and wash off after ten minutes.
The Health Benefits of Basil
Here are some of the many health benefits of basil:
- Compounds in basil like vitamin C, camphene and Eugenol can cure lung congestion, cough, and respiratory problems. Just chewing a piece of basil helps to mobilize mucous bronchitis and asthma attacks.
- Basil reduces blood cholesterol levels, contains vitamin C and other antioxidants that protect the heart against the harmful effects of free radicals.
- Basil boosts immunity.
- Basil can help reduce stress.
- Basil works well on many skin disorders like eczema, acne, and pimples.
- Basil is anti-carcinogenic in nature and helps to treat some forms of cancer.
For more healthy eating, click here.
Well, folks, that’s enough about basil for one day. Please feel free to add your comments in below, especially if you try the recipes using fresh basil.