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12 Comments:
sauceylady, I was shocked and surprised last year to hear from my non-cooking wife that it could be frozen in a Ziploc bag. Squeeze as much air out as you can, put it in bags of measurable portions, and off you go. I didn't believe it, until well into January, when we pulled some out and used it.
It's not like picking it fresh for a salad, but it was green and tasty. Quite a revelation.
TikiPundit at 8:26PM on 08/06/07
If you are having basil within a week, put the stems in a glass of water, cover the leaves with a plastic bag, and put the whole thing in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh and crisp for a week.
Teachertalk at 8:30PM on 08/06/07
Put the leaves on a cookie sheet and freeze seperately then move to a zip lock bag. Chop up and freeze then put in a zip lock bag. Puree, put in a ice cube tray then move to zip lock bag.
JerzeeTomato at 8:53PM on 08/06/07
Don't wash it before you store it - the excess water makes the leaves turn brown and slimy faster.
butterface at 8:56PM on 08/06/07
RE: sauceylady
All of the suggestions here are great ones...mine probably sounds silly but I keep mine (much like flowers) in a glass of water on my counter...I change the water every day and I can keep fresh Basil for well over a week that way. :)
cheffy at 9:15PM on 08/06/07
works for me too, Cheffy
NanaJoie at 6:03AM on 08/07/07
I do the same as cheffy and NanaJoie. Sometimes the basil wilts, but it usually lasts for a week. I've even had some send out roots!
Cathy at 6:15PM on 08/07/07
Ditto on the "flower" type arrangement in a glass of water in the kitchen. It looks pretty and smells nice! After a week if they start to get wilty, I freeze them in ice cube trays for later use.
Jeana at 6:22PM on 08/07/07
why don't you buy a plant and then only pick it when you need it?
I have a very nice happy relationship with my basil plant. the trick is to only water it when it has actually wilted.
B
Hand to Mouth
handtomouth at 7:24PM on 08/07/07
In the summer, basil is really easy to grow. Even a small pot on a porch can produce more basil than you could probably use!
Once picked (or even in the winter when I pay a fortune for fresh) I have had good luck with keeping it in a glass of water. After a few days it will grow roots! You can always harden it off and plant it and make more plants.
Michigander at 11:44PM on 08/10/07
There's always pesto! If the basil is just about to go, use it to make pesto, but don't add the cheese. Then freeze in an ice cube tray.
Dee at 4:10PM on 08/11/07
I grow my own basil in containers on the back deck and, for the most part, pick it as I need it. However, since flowers shouldn't be allowed to form, I sometimes end up with cuttings that need to be "preserved" for a few days. I use the bottom of a Tupperware container for water and a cooling rack on top to keep the plants upright. http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s142/dalvvv/basil1.jpg
If the water is kept fresh and the cuts were clean, they will easily last for a week.
I use it on my pizzas, in my pizza sauce, and pesto. Recently, I discovered the joy of cream of tomato/basil soup which used 1-1/2 cups of fresh picked basil.
grampart at 10:30AM on 08/12/07