Ideas for using Basil please.

Coveredinbees!!!!

I got a loads of basil too, there must be some thing else to do with it other than pesto and feeding it to the rabbit. I put mine in a grow bag and boy did it grow!!!

zombiecazz

HM tomato and basil pasta sauce. Will also well

finc

I'm a bit of a sucker for the smell of basil and for some reason buy a basil plant every week when I go to Lidl...they always seem to be half price and I can't resist .

Anyway, I've got to use them as I need to reclaim the windowsill and don't know what to do. I've just made a pan full of tomato sauce for pizza, gnocchi and pasta but don't know what else to. Thought about pesto but not sure how to make it and how long it keeps.

Any more ideas?

steffzi

I make a lovely soup with a bag of garden peas, a handful of mint and a handful of basil all blitz up!

purplemoon

This is how I make pesto. Sorry, no exact amounts, make to taste.
Basil
Olive oil, Italian if you have
Pine Kernals, toasted if pos (save some to put over your pasta).
Parmasan, grated (or other hard cheese of that type)
Garlic, chopped
Whizz it up. The basil has to be quite good for it to be really tasty. To keep a while put in a jar and cover with oil. I've seen cashews substituted for the pine nuts, prob fine left out altogether if nec.
HTH

finc

Thanks for these. Purplemoon, how do you whizz the ingredients? Would a stick blender be up to the job or do I need to drag my mixer thing from the back of the cupboard? I've got some pine nuts BTW.

GardenMillie

Tear up the leaves and freeze them in an old ice cube tray then you can add them to soups and stews etc as you need them.

cats_whiskers

Hi

definately pesto..................mmmmmmmm delicious.

I also liven up cheese sandwiches by picking a few leaves and wash and crush onto the cheese.

Cheers
Cats.

*vanessa*

Mum makes Delias Tomato and Basil soup, mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Penny_Watcher

Some tomatoes, thinly sliced
Some red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
Large glug of olive oil
Small glug of balslmic vinegar
Childs handful of basil leaves, ripped into smaller pieces
Spinkle of salt
A couple of grinds of black pepper

T o s s (trying to aviod swearing filter:o ) together all ingredients. Leave to stand for a while for the flavours to develop - or then again eat straight away if you're hungry.

We eat this with steak (when we can afford it) and crusty bread.