Usually, the first thing people think of to make with fresh basil is pesto . It’s easy to see why: pesto uses a large amount of fresh basil. Enjoy some fresh pesto when you harvest your basil, then make a big batch without the cheese and store in the freezer in small jars.
One frequent answer is, making pesto is at the top of the list for most people when it comes to using up basil because pesto requires a large number of fresh leaves. Plus, just like the herb, pesto is versatile and delicious! If you end up with more pesto than you can use, you can always preserve it in the freezer until you’re ready to use it.
What can I do with too much Basil?
Making pesto may be the most obvious answer, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook the power of such a vibrant homemade condiment. A few extra things to think about are know what else basil goes great with? 2 make cocktails, 4 save it, 6 try these basil recipes, 5 root it, or 3 use it in a rehydrating salad.
When basil bolts?
Basil plants will bolt when the weather cools off, when the plant matures and it grows tall. A flower will form on the end of the plant and the basil will go to seed. This will turn the leaves bitter and the stems will become woody.
Another thing we wanted the answer to was; what does it mean when Basil bolts?
Some articles claimed Bolting basil is basically when your basil has started to bloom or flower. Now, you might want to know how come I’ve let my basil bolt, if we’re going to talk about preventing it.
Should you cut the flowers off of basil plants?
If you are cultivating basil strictly for its leaves, it is best to remove the flowers. Pinching basil blooms back will allow all of the plant’s energy to stay focused on foliage production, creating a bushier plant with more leaves and maintaining higher levels of essential oils in the leaves.
When we were researching we ran into the question “What is the flower of Basil called?”.
The most frequent answer is, because of this broad connection, basil can be found in almost every cuisine on the planet. Among the vast varieties of basil, Ocimum basilicum, or sweet basil, is the most commonly grown. Ocimum is derived from the Greek meaning “to be fragrant” and thus, is evocative of this plant’s delicious foliage.
Pinching basil blooms back will allow all of the plant’s energy to stay focused on foliage production, creating a bushier plant with more leaves and maintaining higher levels of essential oils in the leaves. Leaving the flowers on basil plants tends to engender a straggly looking specimen with fewer leaves to harvest.
Can you use dried basil leaves in cooking?
Many people use dried basil leaves in cooking, but there’s just nothing like the taste of fresh, garden-grown basil. If you buy basil in the store, it tends to be smaller plants that taste a little bit bitter and isn’t as sweet as garden-fresh basil. That’s because there are a whole bunch of plants crowded into those pots!