Basil is highly appreciated by chefs: the spice has a pleasant piquant taste, in which tartness is combined with lightness and tenderness. The plant is added to combined seasonings (herbs of Provence, Khmeli suneli, bouquet of Garnishes) and used in its own form.
Types of Basil
The color of oblong oval-shaped leaves depends on the variety and can be green, purple and silver. Depending on the color of the leaves, there are mainly green and purple varieties. The main difference between them is that the first type has a delicate taste and aroma, and the second is sharp, which is due to the content of more essential oils.
How to Choose and Store Basil?
When buying fresh basil, you need to pay attention to the color of the leaves, which must be rich and bright, regardless of the variety. High-quality raw materials are elastic and juicy, emits a pronounced aroma, in which you can distinguish notes of cloves and lemon.
Store fresh spices in the refrigerator, pruning the stems and lowering the bundle into the water. The leaves can be wrapped with cling film.
It is permissible to freeze basil for long-term storage. You can put the raw materials in the freezer as a whole (with twigs) or pre-divided into leaves. The spice is well stored in bags with special zip locks or in food containers.
Dried basil seasoning should be chosen carefully. High-quality raw materials do not have an unpleasant repulsive smell. The color of dried basil is dark green. There should be no foreign inclusions in the mass — debris, particles of other plants. The dried spice should be stored in a hermetically sealed glass container, in a dark, dry and cool place.
How to Cook with Basil?
For the preparation of various dishes, basil is used in dried and fresh form.
When using a fresh plant, you need to remember a simple rule: you need to put it either in a ready-made dish, or just before the end of cooking.
The fact is that the spice, especially purple, does not tolerate heat treatment.
What is the Taste and Aroma of Basil?
The aromatic and taste qualities of this spice depend on its type. For example, green basil is characterized by a cool-peppery smell and a bitter fresh taste. Basil red (purple) has a pleasant, rich taste and fragrant aroma, reminiscent of pepper and cloves at the same time.
How to Use Basil?
Due to the rich taste of basil, the use of this seasoning is not limited. The spice is used in dried and fresh form to enrich the taste of the first and main dishes, salads, dressings. Basil is infused with liqueurs, liqueurs and homemade wines. The leaves of the spicy plant are added during cooking to fruit drinks and compotes, and are also used to flavor vinegars.
Where to Use Basil?
This seasoning is suitable for many dishes.
It is added to:
– pasta dishes;
– sauces;
– pizza;
– first courses;
– salads;
– meat dishes;
– smoked meat;
– aspic and boiled fish.
There are no strict rules: if desired, this spicy plant can be added to cereal side dishes, mashed potatoes and other favorite dishes. The spice contains few calories, so it is suitable for dietary nutrition.
What Spices is Basil Combined With?
Basil is combined with rosemary, mint, tarragon, marjoram, parsley, oregano.
By the way, oregano and basil are often confused with each other, considering that they are the same plant. In fact, they are united only by belonging to the same family (Clear-headed). Their leaves are visually similar, but the difference in taste and smell of plants is enormous.
How to Replace Basil?
It will not be possible to fully replace it with another spice. Alternatively, you can offer thyme, a mixture of Provencal herbs or oregano.
There are few snacks here… I suggest another one – a repeatedly tested roll that can be prepared on the eve of the holiday. And since everyone is waiting for the “mouse” year, the cheese dish is very important.
This delicious snack will fit perfectly into the menu of the festive table and will definitely become a favorite on New Year’s Eve! It can be served as an independent hot dish, or as a snack. Potato baskets with a meat ball under a cream sauce of cottage cheese, herbs and spices, but with a baked cheese crust! This dish will drive any gourmet crazy! And cheese lovers will be delighted!
Simple in execution and delicious fish pie. Thin dough and a large amount of juicy fish. You can cook if you go to visit for a holiday. This pie is a great field for creativity. You can cut out any figures from puff pastry and decorate the cake with them.
Focaccia is an Italian wheat tortilla or simply bread. They eat focaccia with everything and just without everything. I will cook focaccia with aromatic herbs, salt and dried tomatoes. Today, the perfect match for it will be a simple but very tasty Italian salad. Come and see…
Here is such an unusual alloy. The recipe is extremely simple, but it looks bright and unusual. mango be sure to take dense, even slightly unripe. Soft mango does not hold its shape well.
A delicious salad with a pleasant sourness of pomegranate seeds, goes well with chicken and will be a good addition on New Year’s Eve or to a festive table.
This recipe was found in the electronic version of the cookbook. I love warm salads, so I made them right away. The name remains. Delicious, appetizing, moderately spicy, instant salad!
A quick and very simple recipe! Mother-in-law’s tongues, or bread tongues, with a quick snack – a kind of bread chips that look ugly, but taste is something special. I think both children and adults will like them! They can be sprinkled with a set of your favorite herbs and spices, just add salt, or you can bake without anything at all! Chips are perfect for serving with sauces, soups, salads, beer, and you can crunch them just like that. Today they will be paired with Tuscan soup with minced meat.
