Basil Recipes

Basil and Sun Dried Tomato Bread

Ingredients

   
 

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

3 cups bread flour

3 tablespoons wheat bran

1/3 cup quinoa

3 tablespoons instant powdered milk

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups water

1 cup boiling water to cover

Directions

   

1

In a small bowl, pour boiling water over sun-dried tomato halves to cover. Soak for 10 minutes, drain, and cool to room temperature. With scissors, snip into 1/4 inch pieces.

2

Place all ingredients into the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the Basic or White Bread cycle, and Start.


Basil Pesto Bread

Ingredients

   
 

3 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread

3 roma (plum) tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 (8 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, sliced

Directions

   

1

In a blender or food processor, puree the basil leaves, olive oil and garlic. Mix in the pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. Continue processing until desired consistency is reached.

2

Preheat the broiler.

3

Slice Italian bread to desired thickness. Spread a layer of pesto on each slice. Top with roma (plum) tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.

4

Place topped bread slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Broil 5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.


Basil Roasted Pepper Cornbread

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

1 cup chopped onion

1 3/4 cups cornmeal

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups shredded pepperjack cheese

1 1/3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained

2 ounces roasted marinated red bell peppers, drained and chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Butter a 9x9x2 inch baking pan.

2 Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Cool.

3 Mix cornmeal with the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in large bowl. Add 7 tablespoons butter and rub with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.

4 Whisk buttermilk and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir until blended. Mix in cheese, corn, red peppers, basil, and onion. Transfer to prepared pan.

5 Bake cornbread until golden and tester inserted comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes in pan. Cut cornbread into squares.

Makes 1 - 9 x 9 inch pan

Basil Noodles

Ingredients

   
 

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons water

2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

   

1

Using a food processor, process basil leaves until chopped very fine. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour and pulse two or three times, or until combined. Add egg, 1 teaspoon oil, and the water until dough forms a ball shape. If dough seems dry, add a bit more water. Wrap dough in a piece of plastic wrap which has been coated in a few drops of olive oil. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.

2

Remove dough from refrigerator, and cut into 6 equal size portions. Run pasta though pasta machine, or roll with rolling pin to desired thickness. Use the additional flour to coat pasta while rolling.

3

Allow pasta to dry for one hour prior to cooking.

4

Cook in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. This should take only a 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pasta.

Amatriciana

Ingredients

   
 

4 slices bacon, diced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes

1 pound uncooked linguine

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

   

1

Cook diced bacon in a saucepan over medium high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the pan.

 

2

Add onions, and cook over medium heat about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds. Add canned tomatoes, undrained; simmer 10 minutes, breaking up tomatoes.

3

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of 4 quarts boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.

4

Stir parsley or basil into the sauce, and then toss with cooked spaghetti. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Basil Cream Chicken

Ingredients

   
 

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 (4 ounce) jar sliced pimento peppers, drained

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

   

1

Place milk and breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in the milk, then coat with breadcrumbs. In a skillet over medium heat, fry chicken in butter or margarine, on both sides, until the juices run clear. Remove from skillet and keep warm.

2

Add the broth to the skillet; bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir to loosen browned bits from pan. Stir in the cream and pimentos; boil and stir for one minute. Reduce heat; add the Parmesan cheese, basil and black pepper. Simmer and stir until heated through. To serve, pour the sauce over the chicken.

 

Grilled Shrimp "Lollipop" with Spicy Almond Sauce

1 1/2 pounds rock shrimp
2 shallots
2 Thai bird chilies
1 cup coconut
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 c lime basil, Chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and black pepper to taste
6 sugar cane stalks or lemon grass stalks

In a food processor, puree all together. Should have consistency of ground meat. Mold mixture around stalks. Cook on a hot, oiled grill for about 4 minutes a side or until almost blackened.

SPICY ALMOND SAUCE

1 cup toasted almond slivers
1/2 tablespoon sambal
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup Thai basil leaves
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup peanut oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Water to thin

Garnish: basil, cilantro and almonds

In a food processor, puree all. May need to add a little water to make puree smooth. Check for seasoning. Garnish with basil, cilantro and almonds.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Thai Basil-Tomato Salad

   

2 tablespoons dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 large ripe tomatoes, mixed colors, 1 inch large dice
1 small red onion, 1/4 inch dice
1 cup picked thai basil leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, whisk together the dijon and juice. Drizzle in oil. Add the tomatoes and onion and season. Check for seasoning. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 hours before serving. Right before serving, toss with the basil leaves.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

 

Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Salad

6 small tomatoes (4 medium)
1 pound fresh mozzarella
10 to 15 basil leaves
3 tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella and arrange casually with the basil leaves on a large platter. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve at room temperature.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time:
Difficulty: Easy

Potato Basil Frittata

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
2 cups peeled and 1/2-inch diced boiling potatoes (4 potatoes)
8 extra-large eggs
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3/4 pound Gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes and fry them until cooked through, turning often, about 10 to 15 minutes. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a small dish in the microwave.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, then stir in the ricotta, Gruyere, melted butter, salt, pepper, and basil. Sprinkle on the flour and baking powder and stir into the egg mixture.

Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake the frittata until it is browned and puffed, 50 minutes to 1 hour. It will be rounded and firm in the middle and a knife inserted in the frittata should come out clean. Serve hot.

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Medium

 

Shrimp with Banana Curry and Steamed Coconut Rice

Banana Curry:
2 ounces peanut oil, plus 2 ounces
24 jumbo shrimp
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/4 cup chopped ginger
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 stalks lemongrass, chopped
1 green apple, cored and chopped
1/2 cup chopped galangal
2 bananas, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 tablespoons curry powder
1 lemon, juiced
1 lime, juiced
1 orange, juiced
4 tablespoons tamarind paste
5 cups coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup torn Thai basil leaves
1/4 Basil lime leaves

Coconut Rice, recipe follows

In a saucepan, add peanut oil and heat. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and saute quickly, just until they start to turn pink, but are not cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate.

Add the garlic, ginger, green onion, lemongrass, apple, galangal, and bananas to the same pan and saute until soft with no color, about 4 minutes. Add cumin and curry powder and saute for 1 minute. Add the lemon, lime, and orange juice along with the tamarind paste, coconut milk, and cilantro. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Strain the sauce and return to the heat. Add the Thai basil and lime basil leaves.

Place the shrimp in the sauce and cook until just heated through. Place some rice on each plate. Top the rice with 3 shrimp and surround with the sauce.

Steamed Coconut Rice:
2 cups jasmine rice
1/4 pound butter
1 orange, zested
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 cup fresh grated coconut
Pinch saffron, optional
1/4 cup cilantro, Thai basil, or mint leaves

Rinse the rice 2 or 3 times and drain well. Set up a bamboo steamer on the stove. Place the rice in a metal bowl and fill with boiling water until the water is 1/2 inch above the rice. Place the bowl in the steamer and steam until tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove the cooked rice from the steamer and cool slightly. To the slightly cooled rice, add the butter, orange zest, cumin, and coconut. Stir until well mixed and add the saffron. Before serving, stir in the cilantro.

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Medium