The FR Victory Garden/4.21.02

Seeds of Knowledge ^ | April 2002 | Brenda Hyde

[Fintan]

I'd like to start what I hope will be a new and popular feature here at Free Republic...The FR Victory Garden.

We'll start this week with one of the most popular and easiest herbs to grow: Basil!

So please enjoy, make suggestions, and share your recipes!!!

  

Basil: Everyone's Favorite Herb!
By Brenda Hyde of SeedsOfKnowledge.com

 

If a person loves herbs, they love basil. It seems to be everyone's favorite herb and the recipes are endless that take advantage of this fresh and spicy leaf. I personally think if you can only grow two plants it should be a pot of tomatoes and a pot of basil. With these two plants and a few basic pantry items you can treat yourself to gourmet faire!

Growing Basil

Basil is an annual, and is easily grown from seed. There are over two dozen types of basil including lettuce-leaf which has large leaves, cinnamon basil and the purple leafed varieties. Basil is not frost tolerant at all, so be sure to only plant after the soil has warmed completely. Though it needs full sun, it does need more moisture than some herbs, so keep it watered; especially in pots. You can bring basil inside as a window herb if you plant the seeds during the warm weather in pots and bring inside to grow in a bright and sunny window.

Using and Preserving Basil

Basil can be frozen, dried, or preserved in oil. It's delicious however you choose to preserve it. Basil is also available year round in most produce sections. Add leaves to salad or sandwiches with your lettuce, saute at the last minute with almost any vegetable and add to soups. It is also wonderful in herbal vinegars mixed with oregano and thyme. The following recipes are just a few of the many you are sure to run across!

Recipes

This wonderful mayonnaise can be used for burgers, sandwiches, or to coat chicken before roasting.

Basil Mayonnaise

Ingredients:
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Blend in food processor or blender until smooth.

Basil and Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients:
12 pieces crusty Italian Bread, 1 inch thick
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
2 large, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
24-36 basil leaves, torn into small pieces
12 garlic cloves, peeled, and cut in half lengthwise
salt and pepper

Toast bread over a grill or a very hot oven of 425 degrees. Brown on both sides. Remove and brush with oil. In a bowl combine tomatoes, oregano and basil. Place cloves in separate bowl. Serve bread warm and rub garlic cloves on bread, top with mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

I also sprinkle and with parmesan cheese and put under the broiler for just a minute to heat top.

Basil Puree

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups washed and dried basil leaves

Blend until pureed. Transfer to clean jar. Store in refrigerator. Each time you use it stir and then top with a thin layer of oil. It will keep one year by doing this. This is good on grilled chicken or fish, stirred into soups or mixed with sun dried tomatoes and broiled on bread.

Walnut and Basil Paste

Ingredients:
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
3 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons red wine or herb vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place the basil in the work bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, drop in the garlic and process until basil and garlic are finely chopped about 15 seconds. Add the nuts, cheese, vinegar and oil. Process to make a rough paste, about 20 seconds. Smear evenly onto poultry, fish or vegetables just before grilling. Makes enough for about 2 pounds of poultry or fish.

Basil Butter

1 stick butter, softened
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil

Cream butter, beat in garlic and lemon juice. Mash in basil; season with salt and pepper. Place bowl in refrigerator to firm butter. For a nice, simple appetizer use room temperature butter on grilled pieces of baguette or French bread.

About the author:
Brenda Hyde is editor of Seeds of Knowledge, a freelance writer, cook, gardener and Mom. Growing and using herbs has become one of her favorite things.

 

[LoneGOPinCT]

We have on board the forum one of the most outstanding and knowledgeable purveyors of gardening seed in the country ... might I say the world. He is too modest, of course, to tell us that

You are far too kind (a bit full of it too)! :^) Most of my "herb" knowledge consists of the closet growing kind with a concentration on the grasses. But alas, those days are long gone and now I'm onto far less exciting vegetation. ;^)

[LoneGOPinCT]

he has NOTHING else to do all day, right Lone?

Nah. I'm really bored this time of year ;^)

[2Trievers]

Should ANYONE be interested, I can provide info on modest Sir Lone ... Knave of Propagation and Seed-ology ... and his great wealth of knowledge ... just FReepmail me. &;-)

[Overtaxed]

Please add me to the ping list.

[Iowa Granny]

Put me on the ping list, too.

I am interested in suggestions on which types of basil or other herbs I could intermingle in my perennial beds as filler. Zone 5b here. I am currently using Baby's Breathe and a couple of the larger artemesias as my filler. I would be very grateful for suggestions of other alternatives.

[SuziQ]

Thanks for the Bruschetta recipe. I tried some from Trader Joe's and it was very good. I wanted to try to make some myself so it would be REALLY fresh!

[Aquamarine]

I grew some basil on my patio last summer. I clipped it with my scissors then laid it out on paper in my pantry for a week or two to dry. After it dried I crumbled it up and put it in a siploc bag and used it in my recipes all winter. It really improved my Jambalaya and pasta recipes.

Please add me to your ping list.

[MaeWest]

May I, pretty please, be added to your ping list?

[tubebender]

...You are never to old to learn so put me on that ping list please. BTW... I still have my mothers official USDA VICTORY GARDEN MANUAL issused during WWII. I'll have to did it out and quote from it some time. I have just came in from planting potatoes. The small black tail deer here in Eureka are easy to fence out but the bears are a pain in the ___.

[herewego]

been a LOOOONG time since i worked that herb. only peppers and collards now.

[Inge_CAV]

Did we get around to discussing corn yet?

[2Trievers]

Not yet ... and I think the least you could do is send Lone a pic of the sprouts ... he'll feel like a proud daddy! (Not that he doesn't already!) LOL &;-)

[Inge_CAV]

You are right and I will. : )

[2Trievers]

Thanks Farmer in the Dell! Hugs, 2T &;-)

[Inge_CAV]

Thank You! : )

[jellybean]

Wonderful idea, Fin!

Carlo, you'll love this thread!

[LoneGOPinCT]

he'll feel like a proud daddy! (Not that he doesn't already!)

Just don't expect any sprout support. I want to sow my seeds across the country without having to take any responsibility. It's the new American way ;^)

On the domestic front, rumor has it that we're once again "in the family way". Mrs.Lone doesn't have her first OB appt for a couple weeks so it's very early on. If nothing else, apparently the germination is very good! :^)

[2Trievers]

Lone, Such good news! Congrats! To you and Mrs. Lone!

Sowing seeds indeed! ROFLOL ...

Joyous hugs, 2T &;-)

[Inge_CAV]

*Congratulations*

: )

[LoneGOPinCT]

I figure if they're going to tax me to death, I'm at least going to keep having kids until I feel like I'm getting my money's worth.

I had this conversation with our former mayor, who was a RAT and despite that a pretty good guy. He was complaining about the increased burden on the town due to an increase in enrollment in our local schools. He was fretting over the need for more revenue coming in, whether to raise taxes again to pay for it. I told him that I was going to keep having kids until I thought I was getting my fair share out of the town. He came back with "Oh my God, (at the time) 2 kids, that's $19,000!" without skipping a beat.

Obviously I thought I needed to get a little more out of the town.