11 Mistakes You May Be Making with Fresh Basil- For good reason, fresh basil is one of the most popular herbs; it’s simple to produce and tastes fantastic in a wide range of recipes from many different cultures. But are you really letting your basil shine when you produce it yourself and use it in your recipes?
11 Mistakes You May Be Making with Fresh Basil
Raw or cooked, fresh basil gives a unique, cherished flavor to many meals. This herb is so popular among home cooks that many grow their own to always have a supply. Whether you need a few leaves to spice up a salad like this Cram-Orange Couscous Salad or a bunch to make the best pesto, you may desire a garden or windowsill supply.
1: You’re adding it too soon to your dish
When cooking with heat, put dry herbs first and fresh ones last. Dried basil takes time to absorb liquids and release flavor, but fresh basil leaves wilt and lose power if cooked too long. In soups, stews, sauces, and sautés, add fresh basil toward the end to add flavor, not as a base.
2: You’re not using enough basil
One mistake when swapping fresh basil for dried is applying it too soon. Another is not using enough. Drying concentrates herb flavor, so less is needed to taste the same. If using fresh basil instead of dried, triple the amount in this delicious Spinach & Shrimp Fra Diazole.
3: You’re throwing away the stems
Remove the stems before using fresh basil leaves, right? However, discarding the stems wastes flavorful potential. Stems give flavor to soups, sauces, and other dishes, but they are too tough and bitter for leaf recipes. They can be finely chopped and mixed with rice or couscous with butter and salt. How to grow basil indoors.
4: You’re using the wrong type of basil
Sweet basil is popular. Due to its popularity, it’s just called basil. This is typical grocery store fare. If a recipe calls for “basil,” use sweet basil. Other types may have greater flavors that cause recipe mishaps.
Holy basil is bitter when raw, but purple basil is best raw because it becomes black when cooked. Thai basil tastes stronger and anise-like, whereas lemon and cinnamon basil are named for their flavors. Although more popular at farmer’s markets and home gardens, these kinds are growing. Mix these types with sweet basil till you know how they’ll taste in your favorite dishes.
5: You are refrigerating basil
Putting fresh herbs in a glass of water, a plastic bag, and the fridge is one of the best ways to keep them fresh. However, no basil! Basil keeps well at room temp. Trim the basil leaves from the stalks and arrange them in water like flowers. Leave it on your tabletop out of direct sun for a fragrant and attractive bouquet ready when you need a leaf for your dish.
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6: You’re not freezing basil
Long-term storage is possible with dried basil. If you prefer fresh basil, you’re missing out on summertime flavor year-round.
To freeze fresh herbs, take the leaves from the stem, blanch them in boiling water, and immediately put them in an ice bath. Once dry, place them flat in a freezer container between waxed or parchment paper layers. You can utilize them year-round like fresh leaves. Use less frozen basil than fresh because it shrinks but retains taste.
Puree basil before freezing with 1 spoonful of olive oil each cup. Divide the puree into ice cube trays and freeze for simple servings. Store the cubes in a freezer bag or container. Thaw a cube for salad dressings or marinades, or add one to soup for added taste.
7: You’re not pruning enough
While it may be tempting to let basil grow quickly, it can result in tall stalks with few leaves. To promote fresh leaf growth, prune basil plants every two weeks. How to prune basil and other plants properly.
8: You’re not harvesting enough
Basil should be harvested regularly, like trimming, to promote fresh leaf growth. Start early and keep plucking leaves! Harvesting a few leaves from each plant is better than cutting off a stem.
9: You’re harvesting the big leaves
The lower branches of basil have the largest leaves, which are tempting to harvest. The plant’s large leaves absorb the most sunlight and nourish the remainder.
10: You left the pretty flowers
Basil has lovely purple-blue blossoms. It may seem sad to remove them, but the plant isn’t growing leaves if it’s focusing on blooms. Pinch the blossoms as they form. After producing flowers and seeds, the plant completes its life cycle. Your plant will produce more tasty leaves and live longer if the blossoms are prevented.
11: You’re not feeding it enough
It’s nearly hard to overfeed basil. It enjoys compost, fertilizer, and mulch. Everything will be eaten. Basil is susceptible to root fungus, so don’t keep the pot in water if you’re growing it indoors. Basil will drink past its health if the soil is too wet.
