Anyone know easy and good things to use basil with! Would like to make my own pesto, but pinenuts are pretty expensive and am just on a benefit. Although do grow my own basil, and want to use it wisely before the plant packs up on me. Smells so yummy too!
sarahb5,
Feb 19, 4:24am
I find fresh basil really loses it's flavour when you cook it - you can make pesto with broad beans (without the grey outer skin) rather than pine nuts
lindylambchops1,
Feb 19, 4:25am
I put fresh whole leaves on home made pizza.Chop basil leaves finely & make a tomato & onion salad.
petal1955,
Feb 19, 4:52am
Use cashew nuts or walnuts rather than pine nuts.
samanya,
Feb 19, 4:58am
Yep .I made my annualfreezer batch yesterday & used part pine nuts & part blanched almonds & thank Annabel Langbein for the almond idea
sossie1,
Feb 19, 4:58am
Flat pan, slowly cook halved tomatoes in oil, until they are done on both sides, You want to get it to a slightly soupy state, but still have the tomatoes reasonably firm Add garlic, lemon, salt and pepper, and basil.Stir around a bit until the basil has wilted, add more fresh chopped basil, and eat with fresh crusty bread, using the bread to mop up all the liquid. We eat it straight from the pan. For pesto, substitute cheaper items, such as sunflower seeds or raw peanuts
samanya,
Feb 19, 5:02am
I make a tomato/Basil salad often .courtesy Digby Law. It's a bit of a 'guess to taste' recipe chopped fresh tomatoes drizzle of Balsamic vinegar dash of salt, pepper, sugar as much fresh basil as you like & drizzle the lot with olive oil & it's lovely .even if left to sit at room temp for a while.
samanya,
Feb 19, 5:02am
Yum, that sounds great.
cookessentials,
Feb 19, 8:51pm
You can also use macadamias to make a beautiful pesto. We buy huge jars of it at the Noosa Farmers Market when we are there and it is really delicious. Macadamias are not cheap either, although, much bigger than pine nuts, so you wouldnt need so many. You could make a basil and chilli flavoured oil too.
valentino,
Feb 19, 9:56pm
Those chickenloins are lovely when done with fresh basil. Simply mix couple of large hands full of basil with a few sqirts of olive oil, season a wee bit and then (with your hands) combine with the chickenloins in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or two then straight into a moderate frypan and cook.
Great to go with salads, summer, oreintal and with noodles, or whatever.
lythande1,
Feb 19, 11:08pm
Basil gets used in almost everything I make. The person who said it loses it's flavour - pick it before you need it, don't let it sit. Put it in near the end, don't cook it to death. And taste it, bit mild - add more.
Can be used in salad too, just some tomatoes, a bit of cheese on the side and basil leaves.mmm.
taureanbabe,
Feb 20, 10:40pm
Thanks for help everyone. Must use basil soon! And above all sounds very yummy.
horizons_,
Feb 21, 12:57am
I use sunflower seeds in my pesto. No one notices it's not made with pinenuts lol, and way cheaper than anything else.
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