Hands down, basil is my favorite herb.
One of the great things about gardening is having an herb garden just a few steps from my back door. I have a dedicated area that is 4′ x 10′ where I grow all the standards — rosemary, oregano, thyme, chives, sage, and more.
What you don’t see on that list is basil. I actually grow a lot of basil, but where I grow it changes every year. I always plant basil with tomatoes — usually 6-8 basil plants intermingled with two dozen tomato plants, along with dozens of marigolds. This type of companion planting is important, as it is an organic way to cut down on pests in the garden. And the triumvirate of tomatoes, basil, and marigolds thrive when planted together.
Basil is incredibly easy to grow. You just stick it in the ground, water it occasionally, and harvest when you’re hungry.
The reason I plant so much basil is that I preserve most of it for the cold months. Oh sure, I could buy basil at the grocery store, but I think that dried basil is an inferior substitute and I flat-out refuse to spend $5 or more on a small bunch of fresh basil when I grow it myself with almost no effort. So every year I plant lots of basil and literally reap the benefits for three or four months.
How do I preserve basil? By making basil paste — here’s how:
- Cut back your basil plants. Don’t be afraid to be aggressive; they’ll rebound.
- Wash the leaves thoroughly and remove stems and any insect friends that came along for the ride.
- Put up to four cups of leaves in your food processor, along with a tablespoon or two of good quality olive oil.
- Pulse until the leaves are chopped to the consistency of pesto.
- Spoon into small containers or an ice cube tray and freeze.
- Once frozen, store the basil paste in heavy duty freezer container.
- When ready to use, defrost and add to your favorite dishes.
I use basil paste in tomato sauces, on pasta, to make pesto, in soups, and more. While it’s not as good as fresh basil in the summer, it’s a pretty good substitute.
It’s not too late to plant some basil for this summer. Just make sure to water it well the first few weeks so that it can get established.
And just think of the rewards! Right now, I’m hankering for a platter of fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes and fresh mozzarella interspersed with leaves of basil and drizzled with olive oil. Mmmmm. Now that is good eating!
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Am I ever glad I stumbled on your site! I’m growing A LOT of basil in our garden this year. It too is my favorite herb! Now I’ll know how to preserve it.