All About Basil

The delicate sweet scent of fresh basil is enticing to the senses. This member of the mint family has a warm, zesty flavor with a slight licorice accent. Most of us first tasted basil in Italian cooking, where it’s an essential ingredient in pesto, and often matched with tomatoes.

Buying Basil

Fresh basil is sold year-round, but you’ll probably pay less for a bunch (and get a much bigger bunch) in the summer. Choose basil that looks healthy—the leaves should not be limp or black around the edges.

Storing Basil

In the fridge: Fragile basil will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. Store it either between damp paper towels in a plastic bag or stem-down in a jar of water with a plastic bag over the leaves.

In the freezer: Basil can be frozen with remarkably good results if you’re planning to use it cooked, not raw. Freezing basil darkens its color but doesn’t affect its taste. Rinse the leaves and thoroughly pat dry. Place in plastic freezer containers or bags and freeze for up to one year. There’s no need to thaw before using—just add to the food you’re cooking.

In oil: Finely chop the leaves and add enough olive oil to make a thick paste. Refrigerate or freeze in small quantities.

Cooking with Basil

You can use whole basil leaves (especially the smaller ones) or chop them with a knife or tear them with your hands (tearing instead of chopping helps to preserve the herb’s oils). When cooking with fresh basil, add it at the last minute—its fresh flavor disappears quickly when heated. One surefire technique is to add about half the amount called for in a recipe during the last stage of cooking; use the rest as a garnish.