Seasonal Recipe Spotlight: Sweet Basil

Sweet basil is the king of herbs in many world cuisines, especially in Southeast Asia where it has been cultivated for over 5000 years.

There are many varieties of basil; sweet basil is perhaps the most familiar variety in the West. It has large leaves and a pungent taste - the main essential oil in sweet basil (eugenol) is also the oil in cloves.

Basil is the quintessential summer herb - strong and robust, it soaks up the sun and grows best in hot, dry climates. We've been cooking with it nearly every week - check out some recipes below...

Fresh pesto is delicious, and a good excuse to prune that exploding basil plant. Also check out this New Potato Salad with basil and shallots, and the classic Caprese Salad.

Basil goes well in some desserts, too - try this refreshing Basil Sorbet or this entry from last year's ice cream contest: Vanilla Basil Ice Cream with Chopped Valhrona Chocolate.

What do you like to do with fresh basil? Do you have a pot growing in your kitchen?

Comments (3)

Why does mine keep dying!? I planted some in a coffee mug for my in-laws and they flourished like crazy, but mine (planted in a nice big terracotta pot in the window in my sunroom) are completely whithered up. I'm planting some new plants tomorrow so let me know what I'm doing wrong? I water about every other day, or when the soil looks dry, and they get plenty of sun... they pot has drainage holes at the bottom, and I even got that fertilizer that comes in old plastic soda bottles and spray that on the soil about once a week. Thanks!

Tiffany,

Sounds like you're over watering and over fertilizing. Try watering well about once a week. Fertilize no more than once a month and apply a weak solution when you do. If they wilt when the soil is dry, they'll usually bounce back. If they wilt and are well watered, the roots have usually rotted and they're done.

Ohhhhhhh, ok. I'll try that, watering once a week. I never used to fertilize at all but I got the new stuff that is already watered down and says use once a week. Eco-terra? Something like that, it's organice and made by university students and made from worms? I think it's the company that being sued by Scott's actually...