 Ocimum Basilicum
Culinary uses:
Sweet
basil is easily the most common variety seen in herb gardens. It has a
strong, distinct flavour when fresh, but when dried, its flavour
sweetens. The Sweet Basil variety has a mild initial taste which lasts
on the tip of the tongue. The aftertaste is strong and lingers in the
back of the throat, almost leaving a sensation in your nose. Basil's
aroma is quite similar to clove. When looking for a Herb or Spice to complement a wide range of dishes you can't go past Basil!
All basil varieties are a complement to
tomatoes. But Basil also complements other vegetables; such as eggplant, zucchini, squash and spinach. Usually added within
the last half an hour of cooking; Basil enhances the flavor of
vegetable and legume (split peas, lentil) soups and stews. Salads,
especially those with tomato, benefit from the partnership of fresh
basil.
Check out this great Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
Basil is wonderful in cooking, I use it in everything from pizza recipes to soups and salads.
Tips:
In
English language, the common basil grown in Italy and other
Mediterranean countries is often termed “sweet basil”; this is, though,
misleading, because Thai basil has much more of a sweet quality. Thus,
I will avoid this term and speak of “Mediterranean type” and “Thai
type” instead.
Storage:
Try
not to acquire fresh basil that is wilted or limp. And watch out for
black marks on the leaves. Fresh sweet basil may be frozen and stored
for a few weeks. Try placing a small bunch of basil in a plastic bag,
inflate it by blowing air into the bag, place in the freezer so it will
not be crushed. Then pinch off the amount required for use and leave
the rest conveniently stored in the freezer.
Description:
Sweet
Basil (Ocimum basilcum) - the most popular variety in the UK used in
Italian style dishes and salads. It grows to a height of 75cm (2ft 6in)
Origin:
The
word basil comes from the Greek word βασιλευς (basileus), meaning
"king", as it is believed to have grown above the spot where St.
Constantine and Helen discovered the Holy Cross. The Oxford English
Dictionary quotes speculations that basil may have been used in "some
royal unguent, bath, or medicine".
Cultivation:
In
April, sow three seeds to a small pot in normal moist potting compost.
Lightly cover with compost and place in a warm (15C or 60F) dark
position - try and keep the temperature as constant as possible, never
letting it drop below 10C (48F). The seedlings will emerge in two weeks
time and the plant should be placed in a sunny warm position. Basil
hates water on it's leaves and stem, so water from below.
Recommend this article...
|
