O ye gurus of the pantry:

My basil has finally reached the plentiful stage after three days of
unseasonal heavy rain a couple of weekends ago.

We can only eat so much caprese salad so I'd like to make pesto with
some of the bounty and freeze it.

Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the
garlic and pine nuts before serving?

Reminder to self: find those ice cube trays!

Thanks in advance for any help and advice.

gloria p

Gloria P wrote:
>
> O ye gurus of the pantry:
>
> My basil has finally reached the plentiful stage after three days of
> unseasonal heavy rain a couple of weekends ago.
>
> We can only eat so much caprese salad so I'd like to make pesto with
> some of the bounty and freeze it.
>
> Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the
> garlic and pine nuts before serving?
I've done it that way and I've put in the garlic and nuts with the basil
and the olive oil and frozen it that way. Either way I've had no
degradation of product. Ice cube trays are useless for pesto for my
purposes, I freeze it in sheets on a bun pan. When frozen solid, about
two hours at -10F, I cut it into sheets with a pizza cutter then put it
in vacuum seal bags and back into the freezer. Usually one bag is enough
for a basil pizza or you can cut it into smaller pieces and revacuum the
bag. YMMV
>
> Reminder to self: find those ice cube trays!
>
> Thanks in advance for any help and advice.
>
> gloria p

George Shirley wrote:
> Gloria P wrote:
>>
>> O ye gurus of the pantry:
>>
>> My basil has finally reached the plentiful stage after three days of
>> unseasonal heavy rain a couple of weekends ago.
>>
>> We can only eat so much caprese salad so I'd like to make pesto with
>> some of the bounty and freeze it.
>>
>> Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the
>> cheese, garlic and pine nuts before serving?
> I've done it that way and I've put in the garlic and nuts with the basil
> and the olive oil and frozen it that way. Either way I've had no
> degradation of product. Ice cube trays are useless for pesto for my
> purposes, I freeze it in sheets on a bun pan. When frozen solid, about
> two hours at -10F, I cut it into sheets with a pizza cutter then put it
> in vacuum seal bags and back into the freezer. Usually one bag is enough
> for a basil pizza or you can cut it into smaller pieces and revacuum the
> bag. YMMV


Thanks--I never would have thought of freezing it in a slab, but
it makes sense.

gloria p

In article >,
Gloria P > wrote:

> O ye gurus of the pantry:
>
> My basil has finally reached the plentiful stage after three days of
> unseasonal heavy rain a couple of weekends ago.
>
> We can only eat so much caprese salad so I'd like to make pesto with
> some of the bounty and freeze it.
>
> Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the
> garlic and pine nuts before serving?
>
> Reminder to self: find those ice cube trays!
>
> Thanks in advance for any help and advice.

I don't like the ice cube method either. I've been freezing my
almost-pesto in those 2-zipper zip-lock quart bags, flat on a sheet.
After they freeze solid, I store them upright on the freezer door. I do
put a little garlic in but will add more with the nuts when I eventually
use it.
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot

In article >,
George Shirley > wrote:

> Gloria P wrote:
> > Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the
> > garlic and pine nuts before serving?
> I've done it that way and I've put in the garlic and nuts with the basil
> and the olive oil and frozen it that way. Either way I've had no
> degradation of product. Ice cube trays are useless for pesto for my
> purposes, I freeze it in sheets on a bun pan. When frozen solid, about
> two hours at -10F, I cut it into sheets

Assume you mean squares?

> with a pizza cutter then put it
> in vacuum seal bags and back into the freezer.

Are you freezing each square individually or putting all your squares
into one bag?

> Usually one bag is enough for a basil pizza or you can cut it into
> smaller pieces and revacuum the bag. YMMV

Sounds like one square per bag?
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, and here's the link to my appearance
on "A Prairie Home Companion," <http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
programs/2008/08/30/>

In article >,
Gloria P > wrote:

> Thanks--I never would have thought of freezing it in a slab, but
> it makes sense.
>
> gloria p

zxcvbob's been doing that for a long time; he says he just breaks off a
piece when he needs pesto.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, and here's the link to my appearance
on "A Prairie Home Companion," <http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
programs/2008/08/30/>

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> George Shirley > wrote:
>
>> Gloria P wrote:
>>> Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the
>>> garlic and pine nuts before serving?
>> I've done it that way and I've put in the garlic and nuts with the basil
>> and the olive oil and frozen it that way. Either way I've had no
>> degradation of product. Ice cube trays are useless for pesto for my
>> purposes, I freeze it in sheets on a bun pan. When frozen solid, about
>> two hours at -10F, I cut it into sheets
>
> Assume you mean squares?
Yup.
>
>> with a pizza cutter then put it
>> in vacuum seal bags and back into the freezer.
>
> Are you freezing each square individually or putting all your squares
> into one bag?
Individually, just enough for one serving for two people. If you have a
crowd over you thaw more than one bag.
>
>> Usually one bag is enough for a basil pizza or you can cut it into
>> smaller pieces and revacuum the bag. YMMV
>
> Sounds like one square per bag?

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> Gloria P > wrote:
>
>> Thanks--I never would have thought of freezing it in a slab, but
>> it makes sense.
>>
>> gloria p
>
> zxcvbob's been doing that for a long time; he says he just breaks off a
> piece when he needs pesto.


Actually, it's George that does that (and that's how I'm gonna do it
next time I freeze pesto) I froze a bunch in 8-ounce Tupperware
containers. I think there's *still* some in the freezer. I take it out
of the freezer to soften a bit, scoop out what I need while it's still
kind of frozen, and refreeze the rest.

I like the freezing in flat slabs idea better.

I have some basil seeds; I wonder if there's still time to get a fall crop?

Bob

In article >,
zxcvbob > wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> > zxcvbob's been doing that for a long time; he says he just breaks off a
> > piece when he needs pesto.
>
>
> Actually, it's George that does that (and that's how I'm gonna do it
> next time I freeze pesto)

The heck you say! I thought it was you.

> I have some basil seeds; I wonder if there's still time to get a fall crop?

Good luck! Dreamer. :-)
>
> Bob

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, and here's the link to my appearance
on "A Prairie Home Companion," <http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
programs/2008/08/30/>

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> zxcvbob > wrote:
>
>> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> (clipclipclip)
>
>> I have some basil seeds; I wonder if there's still time to get a fall
>> crop?
>
> Good luck! Dreamer. :-)
>>
>> Bob
>
> -Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ

I grow real nice basil inna windowbox in the garage under the window in the
winter time. Gets warm enuf to start up and cool enough to make superior
large leafy greens.
Edrena