Q: I have an abundance of fresh basil this year. Is it possible to freeze fresh basil?
_ Peggy Moon, Sterling Heights, Mich.
A: Yes, you can freeze fresh basil leaves, but they just need a little help. Basil is a particularly delicate herb because it hates the cold and darkens when cut. Keep in mind any fresh herbs that you freeze will not be entirely the same as fresh. Freezing will change the texture and it won't be as stable. The basil will be suitable for adding to soups, stews and sauces. But you won't be able to, say, garnish a dish with a fresh-looking basil leaf.
When preparing any fresh herb for long-term storage, it's best to rinse and dry it well first. This rids it of any dirt. You can easily rinse herbs by running them under cool water. Or you can swish them around in a bowl of water. If you have a salad spinner, you can dry the leaves that way, too.
Here are several ways to preserve fresh basil:
_ Freeze leaves whole. Have ready boiling water and a bowl of cold water. Blanch the leaves in boiling water for 3-5 seconds. Yes, seconds. You don't want to cook them. Blanching helps retain basil's nice green color. Use a strainer or slotted spoon to remove them and place in the cold water for several seconds to cool down and stop the cooking. Remove the leaves from the cold water bath and dry well on paper towel. Here's where a salad spinner comes in handy. You can use it to dry the leaves. Once dry, place layers of basil leaves, separated by parchment paper, in a freezer bag. Place flat in the freezer.
_ Puree leaves. Wash and dry basil leaves. Place them in a food processor and puree with a bit of oil. Then transfer the pureed leaves to ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Pop frozen basil cubes out of the tray and place in a plastic bag. The basil work best for soups and stews. Add it during the last bit of cooking time. You can also tear or coarsely chop basil leaves, place them in an ice cube tray and cover with water and freeze and store the same way.
_ Dry leaves. Wash and dry leaves well. Arrange them on a baking sheet and place in the oven on its lowest setting. My home oven's lowest temperature is 170 degrees. Bake until thoroughly dry so you can crumble the leaves. Once crumbled, store in an airtight container. Use in soups and stews and as an ingredient in homemade vinaigrette.
_ Make pesto. This is probably one of the best ways to make use of fresh basil. Having garden-fresh pesto on hand in the freezer can lighten up the doldrums of winter. In a food processor, combine 2 cups of packed basil leaves, 2 garlic cloves, salt to taste, \ cup toasted almonds, pine nuts or walnuts and { cup grated Parmesan cheese; process until the ingredients are chopped. With the machine running, add about 6 tablespoons olive oil (or more as needed) until the mixture is smooth, but still somewhat paste-like. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Spoon the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, pop out the individual cubes and place them in a freezer bag and freeze; they'll keep at least 6 months. Use in pasta dishes and in soups or serve as is.
If you need inspiration for using fresh basil now, try today's recipes.
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