The Best of Home Gardening
HERBS FOR MANY REASONS
"Herbs
make good scents!!"
Basil is one of the most popular of the culinary herbs. It is a(well behaved) member of the mint family, and is grown as an annual plant in Missouri. It requires full sun and well-drained soil. Basil may even repel some harmful insects that plague tomatoes and peppers, and is often companion-planted with them for this effect. VARIETIES A very pretty basil is the Purple Ruffles variety. Its taste is very much the same as the standard basil, but has a lovely dark purple leaf that looks lovely in the garden, as well as on the plate. One year I grew Cinnamon Basil, which has the same basil scent, with a warm hint of cinnamon. I loved the smell of this one, and used it the same way I used standard basil. This variety is attractive, with a burgundy tint to the leaves. Lemon basil also has a wonderful fragrance and is good for cooking in certain dishes where you want hints of lemon. CULTURE USES You can make Italian dipping oil using basil and other herbs such as rosemary, oregano, fennel, garlic, thyme, and sage. Clean and dry the herbs, bruise, and add to a clean bottle. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the herbs, almost to fill the bottle. Shake or swirl oil jar every few days. Strain herbs from oil by pouring through strainer into another container. Heat the oil in the microwave until hot (but not boiling) to kill any organisms that may cause spoilage. Seal with cork or rubber lid and store away from sunlight in a cool place. Keeps for several months, and can be used in any recipe that calls for olive oil, and for dipping Italian bread. You can also make a wonderful flavored vinegar using purple basil and white vinegar. Place a sprig of purple basil in a clear wine bottle filled with white vinegar. Place a cork in the bottle and let the mixture steep for two weeks at room temperature. The vinegar will turn a nice pink, and the flavors will blend into the vinegar. You can also use other herbs, such as chives, tarragon, and/or nasturtium. |
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