Have a lot of fresh basil that needs to be tended to. I think I heard
somewhere that it can be frozen successfully so here's what I did.

I chopped it up in a mini food processor with a little olive oil. I
then placed on plastic wrap in one tablespoon increments.
http://i29.tinypic.com/29nghw4.jpg

Folded the edges of the plastic wrap over the basil and tried to wrap
each one as tightly as possible.
http://i26.tinypic.com/2hp4sqg.jpg

It's in the freezer now awaiting further instructions.

koko
---
http://www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 2/24
"There is no love more sincere than the love of food"
George Bernard Shaw

wrote in news:gtims3hn0l1f6oc9dq16369vfrkl7ci65t@
4ax.com:

>
> Have a lot of fresh basil that needs to be tended to. I think I heard
> somewhere that it can be frozen successfully so here's what I did.
>
> I chopped it up in a mini food processor with a little olive oil. I
> then placed on plastic wrap in one tablespoon increments.
> http://i29.tinypic.com/29nghw4.jpg
>
> Folded the edges of the plastic wrap over the basil and tried to wrap
> each one as tightly as possible.
> http://i26.tinypic.com/2hp4sqg.jpg
>
> It's in the freezer now awaiting further instructions.
>


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnE2cYQVdQc&feature=user

http://tinyurl.com/yvksf8

The common consensus seems to be to just wash and dry the whole leaves
and freeze as is.

The video up top seems to be the best idea. I recall reading somewhere
that if you have 'difficult' things to freeze, just drop them in water
and freeze them.

But with your basil......... Basil Pesto here we come :-)

http://www.elise.com/recipes/archive...asil_pesto.php




--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia


Wars begin where you will...
but they do not end where you please.

Machiavelli

On Mon, 3 Mar 2008 01:45:44 +0000 (UTC), PeterLucas >
wrote:

wrote in news:gtims3hn0l1f6oc9dq16369vfrkl7ci65t@
>4ax.com:
>
>>
>> Have a lot of fresh basil that needs to be tended to. I think I heard
>> somewhere that it can be frozen successfully so here's what I did.
>>
>> I chopped it up in a mini food processor with a little olive oil. I
>> then placed on plastic wrap in one tablespoon increments.
>> http://i29.tinypic.com/29nghw4.jpg
>>
>> Folded the edges of the plastic wrap over the basil and tried to wrap
>> each one as tightly as possible.
>> http://i26.tinypic.com/2hp4sqg.jpg
>>
>> It's in the freezer now awaiting further instructions.
>>
>
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnE2cYQVdQc&feature=user
>
>http://tinyurl.com/yvksf8
>
>The common consensus seems to be to just wash and dry the whole leaves
>and freeze as is.
>
>The video up top seems to be the best idea. I recall reading somewhere
>that if you have 'difficult' things to freeze, just drop them in water
>and freeze them.
>
>But with your basil......... Basil Pesto here we come :-)
>
>http://www.elise.com/recipes/archive...asil_pesto.php

Thanks Peter, though I am no stranger to pesto
http://kokoscorner.typepad.com/mycor...ade_pesto.html

I was wanting to keep it on hand to use like fresh. Thanks for letting
me know the whole leaves can be frozen. I'll do that next time.

koko
---
http://www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 2/24
"There is no love more sincere than the love of food"
George Bernard Shaw

wrote in :


>
> Thanks Peter, though I am no stranger to pesto
> http://kokoscorner.typepad.com/mycor...ade_pesto.html

Love the 'smushing' bowl :-)

Going to get me one of those stone smushers one day.


>
> I was wanting to keep it on hand to use like fresh. Thanks for letting
> me know the whole leaves can be frozen. I'll do that next time.
>


Well, we both learned something today :-)

I'll be doing the same thing in future.

--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia


Wars begin where you will...
but they do not end where you please.

Machiavelli

On Mon, 3 Mar 2008 03:26:49 +0000 (UTC), PeterLucas >
wrote:

wrote in :
>
>
>>
>> Thanks Peter, though I am no stranger to pesto
>> http://kokoscorner.typepad.com/mycor...ade_pesto.html
>
>Love the 'smushing' bowl :-)
>
smushing bowl, how great!!!! much easier than molcajete

>Going to get me one of those stone smushers one day.
>
I hope you do, I use mine frequently and I think you'll like having
one. It's fun to make and serve gucamole or salsa in one.
>>
>> I was wanting to keep it on hand to use like fresh. Thanks for letting
>> me know the whole leaves can be frozen. I'll do that next time.
>>
>
>
>Well, we both learned something today :-)
>
>I'll be doing the same thing in future.

Yep, that's why we are here, no?

koko
---
http://www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 2/24
"There is no love more sincere than the love of food"
George Bernard Shaw

On Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:03:29 -0800, wrote:

>
>Have a lot of fresh basil that needs to be tended to. I think I heard
>somewhere that it can be frozen successfully so here's what I did.
>
>I chopped it up in a mini food processor with a little olive oil. I
>then placed on plastic wrap in one tablespoon increments.
>http://i29.tinypic.com/29nghw4.jpg
>
>Folded the edges of the plastic wrap over the basil and tried to wrap
>each one as tightly as possible.
>http://i26.tinypic.com/2hp4sqg.jpg
>
>It's in the freezer now awaiting further instructions.
>
>koko

I've done this for several years. I mix it with extra light olive oil
and put it up in flattened zip bags. All winter, I snap off as much as
I want for a dish. To make pesto, I add extra virgin olive oil,
toasted pine nuts, garlic, and shredded Parmesan, toss it all with
pasta. To make pizza, I make my own dough, brush with basil, add
cheeses, chopped artichoke hearts, quartered cherry tomatoes (which I
grow in my kitchen window) and sometimes some cooked, peeled, deveined
shrimp. Sometimes I add a pinch to my hummus, or add a pinch when I
make Thai Green Curry. I make bruschettas with basil, shrimps and
Monterrey Jack, and I top a brie with it to make appetizers for
guests. The only thing is that I work quickly when I freeze it so It
will retain its green color and I wait until the last moment to take
it out of the freezer and use it because once it thaws it'll turn dark
in a hurry.

http://home.comcast.net/~rrmerritt/frozenbasil.jpg

On Mon, 3 Mar 2008 01:45:44 +0000 (UTC), PeterLucas >
wrote:

wrote in news:gtims3hn0l1f6oc9dq16369vfrkl7ci65t@
>4ax.com:
>
>>
>> Have a lot of fresh basil that needs to be tended to. I think I heard
>> somewhere that it can be frozen successfully so here's what I did.
>>
>> I chopped it up in a mini food processor with a little olive oil. I
>> then placed on plastic wrap in one tablespoon increments.
>> http://i29.tinypic.com/29nghw4.jpg
>>
>> Folded the edges of the plastic wrap over the basil and tried to wrap
>> each one as tightly as possible.
>> http://i26.tinypic.com/2hp4sqg.jpg
>>
>> It's in the freezer now awaiting further instructions.
>>
>
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnE2cYQVdQc&feature=user
>
>http://tinyurl.com/yvksf8
>
>The common consensus seems to be to just wash and dry the whole leaves
>and freeze as is.

I tried this several years ago and the leaves get freezer burn and
loose every bit of their taste very quickly. I started processing
basil with oil and my frozen basil will last until the new crop with
no loss of flavor. .

raymond > wrote in
:

> On Mon, 3 Mar 2008 01:45:44 +0000 (UTC), PeterLucas >
> wrote:
>
wrote in news:gtims3hn0l1f6oc9dq16369vfrkl7ci65t@
>>4ax.com:
>>
>>>
>>> Have a lot of fresh basil that needs to be tended to. I think I
heard
>>> somewhere that it can be frozen successfully so here's what I did.
>>>
>>> I chopped it up in a mini food processor with a little olive oil. I
>>> then placed on plastic wrap in one tablespoon increments.
>>> http://i29.tinypic.com/29nghw4.jpg
>>>
>>> Folded the edges of the plastic wrap over the basil and tried to
wrap
>>> each one as tightly as possible.
>>> http://i26.tinypic.com/2hp4sqg.jpg
>>>
>>> It's in the freezer now awaiting further instructions.
>>>
>>
>>
>>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnE2cYQVdQc&feature=user
>>
>>http://tinyurl.com/yvksf8
>>
>>The common consensus seems to be to just wash and dry the whole leaves
>>and freeze as is.
>
> I tried this several years ago and the leaves get freezer burn and
> loose every bit of their taste very quickly. I started processing
> basil with oil and my frozen basil will last until the new crop with
> no loss of flavor. .
>



Watch the video.........


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnE2cYQVdQc&feature=user




--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia


Wars begin where you will...
but they do not end where you please.

Machiavelli

raymond wrote on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:44:27 -0500:

??>> Have a lot of fresh basil that needs to be tended to. I
??>> think I heard somewhere that it can be frozen successfully
??>> so here's what I did.
??>>
??>> I chopped it up in a mini food processor with a little
??>> olive oil. I then placed on plastic wrap in one tablespoon
??>> increments. http://i29.tinypic.com/29nghw4.jpg
??>>
??>> Folded the edges of the plastic wrap over the basil and
??>> tried to wrap each one as tightly as possible.
http://i26.tinypic.com/2hp4sqg.jpg
??>>
??>> It's in the freezer now awaiting further instructions.
??>>
??>> koko

r> I've done this for several years. I mix it with extra light
r> olive oil and put it up in flattened zip bags. All winter, I
r> snap off as much as I want for a dish. To make pesto, I add
r> extra virgin olive oil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, and
r> shredded Parmesan, toss it all with pasta. To make pizza, I
r> make my own dough, brush with basil, add cheeses, chopped
r> artichoke hearts, quartered cherry tomatoes (which I grow in


You can buy frozen basil at Trader Joes

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Mon, 3 Mar 2008 14:53:50 +0000 (UTC), PeterLucas >
wrote:


>
>
>
>Watch the video.........
>
>
Don't need to watch the video. Been there, done that.

In article >,
wrote:

> Have a lot of fresh basil that needs to be tended to. I think I heard
> somewhere that it can be frozen successfully so here's what I did.
(snip)
> It's in the freezer now awaiting further instructions.
>
> koko

zxcvbob has suggested on r.f.p. (and maybe here, too) that you chop the
basil with some water (not necessarily a lot) and put it into a
freezer-weight ziploc bag, expelling as much as as possible and making a
flat package. When needed, you just break off a hunk of it.

Another way is to chop with a bit of water and freeze in ice cube trays
(1-2 tablespoons, I think). When frozen, pop them out and store in a
freezer bag with as little air in it as possible (Reynolds Handi-Vac?)
Check the r.f.preserving archives for preserving pesto -- it's discussed
there frequently.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; I Think I've Seen it All, 2/24/2008

On Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:44:27 -0500, raymond >
wrote:

>On Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:03:29 -0800, wrote:
>
>>
>>Have a lot of fresh basil that needs to be tended to. I think I heard
>>somewhere that it can be frozen successfully so here's what I did.
>>
>>I chopped it up in a mini food processor with a little olive oil. I
>>then placed on plastic wrap in one tablespoon increments.
>>http://i29.tinypic.com/29nghw4.jpg
>>
>>Folded the edges of the plastic wrap over the basil and tried to wrap
>>each one as tightly as possible.
>>http://i26.tinypic.com/2hp4sqg.jpg
>>
>>It's in the freezer now awaiting further instructions.
>>
>>koko
>
>I've done this for several years. I mix it with extra light olive oil
>and put it up in flattened zip bags. All winter, I snap off as much as
>I want for a dish. To make pesto, I add extra virgin olive oil,
>toasted pine nuts, garlic, and shredded Parmesan, toss it all with
>pasta. To make pizza, I make my own dough, brush with basil, add
>cheeses, chopped artichoke hearts, quartered cherry tomatoes (which I
>grow in my kitchen window) and sometimes some cooked, peeled, deveined
>shrimp. Sometimes I add a pinch to my hummus, or add a pinch when I
>make Thai Green Curry. I make bruschettas with basil, shrimps and
>Monterrey Jack, and I top a brie with it to make appetizers for
>guests. The only thing is that I work quickly when I freeze it so It
>will retain its green color and I wait until the last moment to take
>it out of the freezer and use it because once it thaws it'll turn dark
>in a hurry.
>
>http://home.comcast.net/~rrmerritt/frozenbasil.jpg

Thanks for the tips raymond.

koko
---
http://www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 2/24
"There is no love more sincere than the love of food"
George Bernard Shaw