Recipes : Basil

Tomato Basil Pizza

Submitted by Maryellen  |  1 comment
Tomato Basil Pizza

Ingredients:

  • pizza dough
  • tomatoes, sliced thin
  • basil
  • olive oil
  • parmesan cheese, grated

Make It:

Make or buy pizza dough.  I like Mark Bittman's recipe (get it) because its easy and good.

Preheat the oven to 550.  Give it extra time to preheat so that its really hot.  Use pizza stones or tiles if you have them.

Roll out the pizza dough thin.  Dust a thin cookie sheet with corn meal,  and put the crust on it.  Roll up the edges to keep the juices in.  Drizzle olive oil over the crust and spread it around with your fingertips.  Put the tomatoes on in a single layer.  Put parmesan cheese over it. 

Bake until the crust starts to turn brown and the cheese is bubbling.

Pull it from the oven and put strips of basil all over.  They'll wilt just a bit in the heat from the pizza.  Enjoy!

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Tomato Potage

Submitted by Aaron
Adapted from The Secrets of Pistoulet
Tomato Potage

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb Tomatoes
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 1 Garlic Clove
  • 2 Tbl Butter
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Basil, chopped (garnish)
  • 1/4 cup Cream (garnish)
  • Gruyere, Havarti, or Emmenthal Cheese, grated (garnish)

Make It:

Boil some water and add the tomatoes until their skins split.  Remove the tomatoes from the water to cool, and then peel, core, and chop them.

In a medium pot, saute the whole garlic in butter, then add onions and tomatoes.  Reduce the heat to low, simmer until all ingredients are aromatic and soft (at least 30 minutes), then puree.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Whip or blend the basil and cream, and you've created a fantastic topping that goes well with fish, desserts, and this dish, too.

Serve the potage with a dollop of basil cream and some cheese, and you're set.  Add some crunchy artisan bread, and it's even better.

With so few core ingredients, this soup really shines from the best in-season tomatoes.  At this time of year, we make large batches to freeze for non-bonanza times.

Note:  If you have a stick blender, you can avoid chopping the onions and tomatoes.  Similarly, you can avoid chopping the basil and simply blend the cream and whole basil leaves.

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Basil Lime Butter for Corn on the Cob

Submitted by Charise Baker  |  1 comment

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup basil leaves, lightly packed
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 pinch sugar

Make It:

Pulse basil and garlic in a good processor until chopped.  Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.  Transfer to a container and refrigerate.

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Provencal zucchini and chard tart

Submitted by Maryellen
Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman, New York Times
Provencal zucchini and chard tart

Ingredients:

  • 1 recipe yeasted wheat pastry dough (see below)
  • 1 bunch swiss chard or beet greens
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 pound zucchini, cut in small dice (1/4 to 1/3 inch)
  • Bunch of garlic scapes (or less, to taste), minced
  • Some basil, sliced into ribbons
  • 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (1/2 cup, tightly packed)
  • 3 large eggs, beaten

Make It:

1. Stem and wash the greens. Save the stems to use later if you want. Blanch the chard leaves in salted boiling water for one minute, remove with slotted spoon, drain and run under cold water until cold. Squeeze out excess water and chop. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, saute the onion and diced stems (if using) in the oil for about five minutes. Stir in the zucchini. Season with salt, and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook with the zucchini and onion until the garlic is fragrant, about one or two minutes. Stir in the basil ribbons and cooked greens, toss everything together, and remove from the heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste), the zucchini mixture, and the Gruyère. Mix everything together, add pepper and more salt if needed.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 10-inch tart pan. Roll out 2/3 of the dough and line the pan, with the edges of the dough overhanging. (Freeze or toss the rest). Fill the lined pan with the zucchini mixture. Pinch the edges of the dough along the rim of the pan. Bake 50 minutes, until set and beginning to color. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving (preferably longer). This can also be served at room temperature.

Whole wheat yeasted pastry

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached flour (more as needed)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water, add the sugar, and allow to sit until the mixture is creamy, about five minutes. Beat in the egg and the olive oil. Combine the flours and salt, and stir into the yeast mixture until it comes together in a coherent mass, adding flour as necessary. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead gently for a few minutes, adding flour as necessary, just until the dough is smooth — do not overwork it. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a draft-free spot until doubled in size, about one hour.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gently knead a couple of times, and cut into two pieces – 1/3 and 2/3 of the dough. Shape each piece into a ball without kneading it. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap, and let rest for five minutes. Then roll out as directed.

Read the original recipe

Categories:

Basil Pesto

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups basil leaves (strip off stems - use stems in stock if you want)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, sunflower seeds, walnuts or pecans
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese or mix of parmesan and romano
  • 3/4-1 cup olive oil

Make It:

Wash and dry the basil in a salad spinner. Toast the nuts – I toss them in a hot, dry, cast iron skillet. Put the garlic in the food processor and chop fine. Add the basil and most of the olive oil. Chop finely. Add parmesan cheese and nuts. Chop just a bit – I like the nuts to be still chunky. Taste. Add salt if desired. Add olive oil if thinner consistency desired.

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Fettuccine with Marinated Tomatoes, Basil & Cream

Submitted by Janet McConnell
Adapted from It's from the Fields of Green

Ingredients:

  • 1 /2 pounds ripe tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup coarsely chopped basil.....20-25 leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • pepper
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 pound pasta ('tho it can easily be more)
  • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
  • 2-3 ounces Gorgonzola (or feta) cheese

Make It:

Cut the tomatoes into large chunks and toss with the oil, garlic, basil 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper (I add lots more).

Heat the cream in a large skillet...reduce to about 1/2 cup (give or take). Lower the heat and add the tomatoes...cook together 3-4 minutes gently.

Add drained pasta and cheeses to the cream..toss together and serve.

I never have Gorgonzola on hand...have substituted feta with great results! (add it to the cream first and let it begin to melt (stirring) before adding the pasta.

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