Basil for Winter - recipes

Basil, like any other greens, is good in fresh form. But with an abundance of fragrant twigs in the summer on the bushes on the bed, it is advisable to make from them fragrant and useful preparations for the winter. The simplest way is to keep the greens by freezing.

How to freeze basil for the winter?

Fresh basil can be frozen as whole branches or leaves, and in a crushed form. In the first case, it is enough just to rinse the greens under cool running water, dry it well, and then pack it into bags. It is much more convenient to make a portioned billet or simply decompose the basil turned into a paste into ice molds and, after freezing, put together in one common package or container.

How to dry basil for the winter?

If there is no possibility to freeze the basil, it can be dried. This is a more troublesome business, but at the same time, allowing to maintain the spicy aroma and valuable properties of greens to the maximum.

For drying, it is preferable to use only leaves. They need to be cut off from well-washed twigs, then decomposed on a tissue cut and placed in a dark, warm, well-ventilated place. It is not recommended to dry basil under direct sunlight or, conversely, in damp and cool weather. In the conditions of a city apartment for drying it is more expedient to use for this purpose an oven or an electric dryer. The temperature of the device should be maintained throughout the drying cycle at a level of forty degrees.

How to store basil for the winter with salt?

Ingredients:

Preparation

Another easy way to save fresh basil for the winter is to pickle it. To do this, thoroughly washed basil greens dry, we separate the leaves from the stems and stack them in sterile and dry glass jars, alternating layers with large non-iodized salt. Keep this blank only in the refrigerator or cellar.

Sauce with basil for the winter - recipe

Ingredients:

Preparation

Initially, rinse basil under running water, spread on a towel and let it dry. In the meantime, dry in a dry frying pan or on a baking sheet in a warm oven with cedar nuts. For further preparation we need a blender with a stationary bowl. We put in it prepared basil and pine nuts, we send there the cleared garlic denticles and ground Parmesan, we pour olive oil (preferably infused with rosemary), pour in salt and punch the contents until a pasty texture is obtained. Now, for the long-term preservation of the sauce, it needs to be spread out over the ice molds and freeze. Store received briquettes better in a package or a closed container.

Preparation of pasta from basil for the winter - recipe

Ingredients:

Preparation

To prepare a basil paste for the winter, rinse the sprigs of green under running water and dry it. Now put them in the blender's container, pour in a tablespoon of olive oil, add salt and punch the contents until you get a paste. Further we pack the workpiece in sterile and dry containers, fill it with oil, cork it and place it in a cool dark place.

This basil in oil, prepared for the winter, can be used as a basis for making more complex sauces, add to dressings for salads or simply season them with a paste before serving.