Basil Fest-o

basil, basil, basil. it's right on up there with suntans, lakes, and lightning bugs about what i looove about summertime. first, the basil gospel:

1) trim often
2) fertilize sparingly
3) water lushly
4) full sun makes a happy basil

i have crammed in basil all over my yard (including this weird sunny spot behind my tomatoes, against the fence) but i keep a pot of purple basil and a pot of regular (Genovese) basil right outside my backdoor. a pair of scissors usually is lurking close by.  if you have the herbs you use the most close by your kitchen, you're much more likely to use them, and often. this makes for happy cooks, happy dinner guests, and happy herbs. (the more you snip herbs, the fuller and bushier they become.)

one of the things i struggled with most when i was transitioning from mainly flower gardening to more edible gardening was ways to use my produce. and by ways to use it, i mean normal easy ways to make simple fast dishes that don't require weird ingredients and a hundred gourmet kitchen implements. (there's no way i could ever see myself stuffing a chicken with tarragon, nor do i own a garlic press and olive pitter.) so, on that note, two things i did with my basil today:

Basil "Pounded" Pesto (pesto literally translates as 'pounded'....i took this to an extreme level by testing this recipe with my mortar and pestle rather than food processor. you could do either, but there is a weirdly satisfying feeling to using a mortar and pestle for anything in the kitchen- speaking of weird kitchen implements....bahaha.)

for every large handful of washed, dried, and torn basil leaves: approximately 2 cloves chopped garlic, 1-2 tsp parmesan cheese, drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil to desired consistency, pinch sea salt and cracked ground black pepper. some folks add pine nuts also. puree (or pound) to your personal preference of consistency. serve drizzled over penne pasta with more EVOO and feta cheese.

 (above): all the raw ingredients, ready to get pounded!

(above): adding the parmesan cheese and mushing it up some more. took about two minutes to this point.

 the finished product, ready to get turned into my lunch! basil folklore: it is believed to be incredibly good for your digestive system, and the chlorophyll in all those green leaves makes your cells very happy!


another easy basil meal:  
Basil Grilled Cheese:
evoo on two slices whole grain bread, 6-7 washed and dried basil leaves, a couple slices colby jack cheese. grill on both sides over medium heat in a skillet until melted and brown; serve immediately.

if you have too much basil, start harvesting now and pureeing it in a food processor with olive oil and freeze in ice cube trays. store frozen cubes in freezer ziplocs to use in the winter to make fresh pesto. yumm!

on a completely unrelated yet very important side note: my dog is extremely cute.

and that's all for now. next blog: lemongrass, how to grow it, how to use it.