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storing basil
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Posted by trancegemini_WA Aust (My Page) on Wed, May 18, 05 at 5:08
| hello, well my basil is getting close to finishing now and I want to harvest it and store it for the winter :)
any suggestions? Id like to freeze it if I can, could I just wash it and put it straight into freezer bags? would I need to freeze it in portions or could I freeze it in larger bags and take out a small portion at a time? will it retain its flavour if frozen?
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: storing basil
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| It will go black if frozen in leaf. Usually I dry it and this year will try to freeze the fresh leaves in iceblocks as a bit of an experiment. |
RE: storing basil
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| I "snap-freeze" most things now. After processing (cutting, blanching or whatever is needed) I place them in a single layer on a tray covered with a sheet of Glad-bake which I put in the freezer. As soon as the pieces are frozen I bag them quickly in portions. Better colour and no sticking together! For things like basil leaves, I put them all in one single bag and remove what I need for each dish. Rose-Marie |
RE: storing basil
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| You could make pesto, then fill an icecube tray with pesto. When completely frozen, you put the pesto cubes in plastic bags or containers. You could dry the basil. It's not as nice as fresh one, but it still flavours dishes nicely. Or chop some basil then fill icecube trays with the chopped leaves, top up with water, so that you have chopped basil in cubes. This way the basil won't go black. |
RE: storing basil
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| thanks everyone for the suggestions, that gives me a few things to experiment with. Id hate to spoil my basil and have to go back to store bought dried herbs, blek! :) |
RE: storing basil
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| I place them unwashed in a zip lock bag in the freezer and just take out what I need. I wash the basil then. I lost some of my basil this year through my own stupidity. I placed some washed leaves in a container and put the lid on thinking I will make some pesto and freeze it. About three days later thought I better get round to making it and took the lid off and the basil had started fermenting and going off. What a pong. The lot had to be tossed. I was very sad as we can only grow basil in the summer here due to the frosts. |
RE: storing basil
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I have been using frozen basil for years. It goes black, but so what? It still tastes great!
I still agree that pesto freezes better that plain basil. I make mine with cashews instead of pinenuts, and this seems to work well. We love the flavour. Manuel. |
RE: storing basil
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| You can use almonds instead of pine nuts as well. :) |
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