sweet basil
(Ocimum basilicum)
Also called Genoese basil, this plant has large, silky, bright green leaves, in addition to having small white flowers. Excellent for all western cuisine, it is the best basil for making pesto, pistou and tomato salads. One way to preserve the leaves is to place them in a jar with an airtight lid, place them on a bed made with a little salt and then cover them with olive oil.
 
Slightly rubbed basil leaves release an aroma that promises warmth and sunlight - in every Greek village the heady fragrance of basil permeates the air. Basil belongs to the mint family, as can be seen from the mint and aniseed notes that accompany its sweetness. Originating from tropical Asia, where it has been cultivated for 3000 years, it is grown today in almost all places where the climate is warm enough.
 
soap notesr
Sweet basil has a complex sweet and spicy aroma, with hints of cloves and aniseed. The flavor is warm, peppery, and clove-like, with undertones of mint and anise. Purple basil, opal basil, little basil, curly-leaf basil, and rough purple basil types have very similar flavors.
 
Parts Used
Fresh leaves; add the flower buds to salads or use them as a garnish
 
Culinary Uses
In Western cuisine, basil is the natural companion of tomatoes, whether in salads and sauces or in soups. It's a great condiment for stuffing chicken - mix softened butter with chopped basil, garlic, lemon zest and a little breadcrumbs, then slip the mixture under the skin of the whole chicken or chicken pieces before roasting in the oven or on the grill. Use basil with fish and shellfish, especially lobster and scallops, and with roast veal and lamb. This herb also has some affinity with raspberries.
Sweet basil turns black when it is cooked in a tomato sauce or when it is mixed with any other acidic substance, but it retains its flavor. It quickly loses its aroma when cooking, so use it in a dish to intensify the flavor and then add a little more to add fragrance towards the end of the cooking time.
Basil leaves can be crushed, chopped or cut into thin strips with a knife, but cutting will injure them, which causes them to darken quickly.
 
essential for
For the Pesto and the Pistou.
 
goes well with
Eggplants, green beans, cream cheese, courgettes, eggs, lemon, mozzarella cheese, olives, pasta, peas, pizza, potatoes, rice, sweet corn and tomato
 
It goes well with
Capers, chives, coriander, garlic, marjoram, oregano, mint, parsley, rosemary and thyme.
 
Cultivation
Basil is a tender annual plant. It grows easily but needs a sheltered and sunny place, in fertile and well-drained soil. In cold climates, the plant prefers a nursery.
Delay flowering and encourage leaf development by cutting off new buds. Harvest this herb until the first frosts.