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.
I want to offer a variant of a lean salad, in which potatoes are perfectly combined with vegetable oil, and cabbage – with spices and fresh cucumber. Light and nutritious salad.
I think everyone has tried the Greek salad, so I’ll go straight to the dressing. It’s amazing! So bright, sharp and spicy. The salad began to play with completely different colors.
Recently I accidentally stumbled across this recipe on the Internet. It seemed interesting to me and was implemented with some changes. To say that it is delicious is to say nothing. For me, a passionate lover of seafood – it’s at least very tasty! I will not say, but in an authentic paella, it seems that chicken should be present in the composition, it is not in this recipe, so this dish can be offered as a lean dish on days when seafood is allowed.
By and large, I cooked a simple beef stew. The highlight is that before stewing, the meat was marinated in a sauce seasoned with basil and two types of pepper.
