train a meal with fresh , bright - unripened basil makes you find like a corking chef , even if you are just toss the chop leave into alimentary paste or a salad . Whether you buy a basil bunch at the grocery or cut some sprigs from your garden , you are probable to have more than you call for for a repast . Fortunately , there is a round-eyed way to store the remaining sweet basil to keep it fresh , fragrant and beautiful . And if that does n’t exercise for you , there are a few variation on the theme to help you stack away America ’s favorite clean herb .
Treat Basil Bouquets Like Flowers
Whether you get your basil husk by exact scissors to garden plants or at the fresh herbaceous plant department of a market , the basil is n’t very unlike from cut flowers . If you leave cut heyday on the kitchen counterpunch for 24 time of day , they lose moisture and wilt . Just so , basil stalks droop and die quickly if you do n’t deal them as cut plants .
The very best way to store fresh basil is to treat itlike a bouquet of weakened flowers . Using a kitchen scissor , snip 1/2 inch off the stems . Then put about several inch of cool water in a jar or glass , and set the basil stems in it . It look pretty and livens up your kitchen if you keep it on the tabulator . At way temperature , it will last out new anywhere froma few day to a week .
Cover the Bouquet in Plastic
If you care more about stay fresh the basil overbold long terminal figure and less about take a leak your cooking area look like an Italian area kitchen , you’re able to try another option . Actually , it ’s a variation of the " basil bouquet " pick , because you have to garnish the stem ends and put the stalks in a field glass of cool water .
This variation on a theme suggests that you cover the nosegay of basil loosely witha plastic bagor a perforated credit card bag or wrap . Those who advise this alternative argue that the plastic locks in the wet to keep the plant fresh , while give an release route to the ethane accelerator the plant life produce that can waste the leafage . This arrangement , left at elbow room temperature , may keep basilfresh for a humongous two weeks .
Stock the Bouquet in the Refrigerator
While some expert reason that refrigeration bend St. Basil the Great leaves shameful or causes the plant stems to rot rapidly , others take that refrigerating fresh basil will extend its animation . In fact , commercial growers are told to wrap St. Basil in credit card , seal the bag and keep them cool , at some 40 to 45 degrees F , to maximize its shelf life .
Freeze Fresh Basil
Once you freeze novel basil , a good argument can be made that it is n’t smart any longer . However , if you need St. Basil to keep for long than two weeks , you ’ll have tofreeze it . Freezing basil is considered the best way to store it for long periods while retaining its pungent flavor .
Before you toss the herbaceous plant cutting off in the deep freezer , rinse them under cool water system and chuck them dry . Give the folio time to melodic phrase dry out completely . Once no water remain on the leaves , commit them in a plastic traveling bag ; remove the excess air and seal off the bag . Then pop it in your freezer .
Anther freezing selection is to strain the fresh folio into a paste in your kitchen blender . stream the sweet basil paste into an ice square block tray and freeze . Whichever method acting you choose , your frosty basil should be good for an entire class .
