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Big-time Basil By Sarah Lemon Jul 27, 2022 12:45 AM A A 5 View all photos Mediterranean staple needn’t wait on tomatoes’ arrival Green beans add crunch to the popular Thai stir-fry dish basil chicken while minced chile peppers add heat. [Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette] Cool and creamy, lime pie studded with bits of basil hits the spot on a hot summer night. [Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette] Blend basil, cilantro, mint and jalapeno into a bright, spicy salsa for pan-fried fish. [Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette] Blend basil, cilantro, mint and jalapeno into a bright, spicy salsa for pan-fried fish. [Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette] Basil pesto requires no cooking and comes together in minutes in a food processor or blender. [Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette] Classic bruschetta and Caprese salad may still be weeks in the making. My basil, however, is a big deal — even without tomatoes. The same late-spring rain and chill that inhibited my garden’s tomatoes extended basil’s window for establishing itself. Whereas last year’s crop quickly bolted — turning woody and coarse — in searing May temperatures, this summer’s basil is lush, tender and fragrant. Much as basil loves sunlight, it also likes plenty of water. Since my partner recently reconfigured our backyard sprinklers — installing a mister that sprays several times each day over basil in a “Smart Pot” shared with cucumbers and chiles — the Mediterranean herb has really hit the big time. Picking entire bouquets of basil, I’ve strewn their leaves into everything from green salads to stir-frys. In a vase on the kitchen counter, homegrown or store-bought basil will stay fresh for about a week, compared with refrigerated basil that fades after just a couple of days. Better than buying bunches of basil, cooks without garden space can buy a seedling and nurture it on a sunny porch, patio or windowsill. Along with parsley, sage, thyme and oregano, basil does just as well in a pot as it does in the ground and is ready to pick in about three weeks. Native to parts of Asia and Africa, basil is grown all over the world and is used in a variety of cuisines, although the sweet variety (Ocimum bacilicum) and its close cousin, Genovese basil, are most associated with Italian and Mediterranean cooking. Basil even has a place in Italian folklore, which characterizes it as a token of love. If a man accepted a sprig of sweet basil from a woman, it was believed he’d fall helplessly in love with her. Thai basil, conversely, has a licorice flavor, making it a go-to choice for Asian dishes. Another popular variety, lemon basil has a distinct citrus flavor that lends itself to seafood. This year, I grew purple basil for its striking color and slightly spicy flavor, along with the large-leaved “Mammoth” variety and a second sweet cultivar. Pesto is an obvious repository for large quantities of sweet basil. But when I want a change of pace from pesto’s nutty, cheesy savor, I prepare a condiment that’s similar but lighter. Gremolata traditionally uses parsley, but a variation with basil involves simply finely mincing the herb with lemon zest, garlic and a bit of salt. Reminiscent — but with a bit of heat — is the following recipe for cilantro-basil salsa. Also spiced with chiles is this chicken stir-fry with summer’s first green beans and Thai basil. Absent that herb, the dish is just as delicious with sweet basil. And sweet basil gets even sweeter in desserts. This cool, creamy lime pie transcends the mainstream flavor profile with the addition of basil. The inherent mintiness of sweet basil is a lovely complement to citrus. If you’ve got basil left over, mix up a batch of pesto for use in myriad ways beyond pasta: spread onto sandwiches, dolloped over pizza, tossed with steamed or grilled vegetables, whisked into mayonnaise for chicken, egg or tuna salads and folded into softened butter, then slathered atop corn on the cob. For pesto: In the bowl of a food processor, finely chop 1/2 cup pine nuts or any shelled nut; scrape out into a medium bowl. Without cleaning processor bowl, finely chop 3 ounces Parmesan cheese; scrape into bowl with nuts. Without cleaning processor bowl, add 2 cups basil leaves, along with 4 peeled and chopped garlic cloves. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. With processor’s motor running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil until emulsified. Stir mixture into bowl with nuts and cheese. (For freezing, portion pesto into 4-ounce glass canning jars, top with lids and store in freezer.) Or freeze basil plain to broaden its use. First, blanch the leaves to preserve their bright green color, then pat them dry with a dish cloth or paper towel. Place leaves in a freezer-safe container, separated into layers with wax or parchment paper. Or puree fresh basil leaves with a little olive oil (1 tablespoon per 1 cup basil) and freeze mixture in an ice cube tray. Reach features editor Sarah Lemon at 541-776-4494 or [email protected]. Tribune News Service contributed to this story. Spicy Thai Chicken Basil 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 tablespoons oyster sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons fish sauce 3 tablespoons sugar 1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 1/2 small yellow onion or 2 shallots, peeled and cut into thin slices 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 3 fresh red Thai chiles, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped, or or 1 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, coarsely chopped 1 1/2 to 2 cups lightly packed basil leaves Jasmine rice, for serving Heat the oil in a wok or heavy, high-walled skillet over high heat. As wok is heating up, whisk together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar in a bowl until well-combined. Set aside. Add the bell pepper and green beans to hot wok. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the onion, garlic and chiles. Cook until fragrant, for about 1 more minute. Add in the chicken and stir-fry, breaking apart as you go, until beginning to brown, for about 2 minutes. Pour in prepared sauce. Continue to cook until sauce begins to glaze onto meat, for about 1 to 2 more minutes. Stir in the Thai basil leaves and cook until chicken is completely cooked through, basil is wilted, and liquid has mostly evaporated. Serve warm with rice. Taste and add more chile flakes if it is not adequately spicy. Makes 4 servings. — Recipe adapted by Tribune New Service from hostthetoast.com Basil-Kissed Lime Pie For crust: 10 full graham cracker sheets 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter 1/3 cup sugar For filling: 3 teaspoons grated lime zest 3 egg yolks 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, from about 6 limes 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil (about 12 large leaves) 1 cup heavy or whipping cream chilled, for garnish Lime slices, for garnish Preheat oven to 350 F. Finely grind the graham crackers using a food processor or in a large plastic zip-close bag using a rolling pin. You should get about 1 1/2 cups crumbs. With a rubber spatula in a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs with the melted butter and sugar until well combined. Mixture will be coarse and sandy. Press crust mixture into bottom of a pie pan dish and slightly up sides. Bake crust in preheated oven for 8 minutes; remove and allow to cool slightly. In a medium bowl, whisk the lime zest and egg yolks together until creamy and well-blended. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, then the lime juice. Gently fold in the basil. Bake pie in preheated oven until center is set but still jiggles a little, for about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool to room temperature then chill in fridge for at least 3 hours. When ready to serve, whip the heavy or whipping cream with a mixer or in bowl of a stand mixer outfitted with a whisk until stiff peaks form. Spoon whipped cream into a plastic zip-close bag and snip off a corner. Pipe whipped cream on edges of pie, zigzag it evenly across top or simply serve it alongside in a pretty bowl. If you like, you also can garnish pie with the thin lime slices. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Pan-Fried Fish With Cilantro-Basil Salsa For salsa: 1 large bunch cilantro, stems removed 1/2 cup basil leaves 1/4 cup mint leaves 1 jalapeno, stemmed and seeded 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1/2 cup olive oil Juice of 1 or 2 limes Salt, to taste For fish: 1 pound mild white fish fillets, such as cod, tilapia or catfish Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Juice from 1 lime 1/3 cup flour 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Prepare salsa by finely chopping the cilantro, basil, mint, jalapeno and garlic; place in a bowl. Toss to mix. Stir in the oil, lime juice and a little water, if necessary, to thin it to desired consistency, Season the fish fillets with the salt, pepper, and lime juice, then lightly dust with the flour. Dust off any excess flour. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic slices and fry until lightly golden, for about 1 minute, then remove from pan. Place fish in skillet (avoid crowding pan). Fry fish in hot oil until it just flakes with a fork, for about 4 minutes per side. Serve fish immediately, with cilantro-basil salsa spooned on top. Makes 4 servings.