I pulled up three big basil plants after the sun warmed up the plants and the dew was gone. These plants had all gone to seed and I wanted to salvage any delicious basil leaves and flowers I could. Yes, the flowers are very tasty too and I often include them in salads as edible flowers, as a fresh ingredient in so many recipes and in pesto. It was a little bit of work separating the leaves but I was able to make 2 batches of pesto using about 9 cups of packed basil leaves.
If you want any recipes just search the word “pesto” and you will find some tasty ways I use this herb. Also, search “basil” for using the fresh leaves.
These pictures were taken outside in the shade.
The following pictures were taken inside… big difference in the shades of green…
Does this look yummy!!!
I froze both batches in ice cube trays. Over the winter months I will add the “basil cubes” to stews, soups, vegetables, sauces for pasta and other recipes to add some “summertime” flavor.
I am sure many bloggers grow this lovely herb or at least use it in their cooking/baking. It probably is the herb I use the most in so many different ways. Fiesta Friday #84 has started and Angie, Effie and Steffi are ready for all of us to join them 🙂
Beautiful pictures and wonderful pesto!
Thanks!
wow.. I missed the season. Can I plant them now? between amazing pesto.
Thanks – depends on where you live. Basil is a very tender annual and here in Michigan we could have a frost in a few weeks!
Wow, that is a TON of basil! I’ve never tried freezing homemade pesto, but that’s a great idea to use an ice cube tray. I’ve got some basil (not nearly as much as you!) in the garden that I’ll be harvesting soon, so I’ll have to give freezing pesto a try!
Pesto is a good way to preserve your basil harvest and so delicious in soups and other dishes throughout the winter months.
I just gt myself a basil plant last week! I am gonna try this with the fresh basil..Thanks fr the recipe
You’re welcome – search pesto (maybe I should have included my recipe in this post). Must we warm where you live!
Yeah india has a good climate for basil
I absolutely love basil! And pesto! I use it for minestrone – I’ve been dying to write a post about it but as it is such a rainy-day dish I still haven’t managed to make a decent picture 😉
Thanks for bringing this along to FF! Have a lovely weekend,
Ginger x
Thanks – pesto is so easy to make and takes very little time to whip up a batch. I use it in all kinds of soup, it is especially good in a veggie soup such minestrone! Enjoy your weekend 🙂
Basil is so wonderful to work with. Your pictures are fantastic! Happy FF! 🙂
I can’t get enough basil – love the smell and what it can produce such as pesto. Thanks so much – big difference in color between inside and outside pictures!
I love, love basil! Sometimes I let my plants go to seed and the following year I usually get volunteers that are kind of unique. They’re what I call “bastardo basil” 😀 Most of them still taste good, though.
Btw, it’s interesting to see the different shades of green indoors vs outdoors.
I did not use any props, just different positions, lights on – off, in the shade. I need to work on my lighting, just have not done it yet. I need to plan ahead and usually when it comes time to take pictures I am in a hurry!
Me too Angie – volunteers are always good. I am amazed where plants show up. There were a lot of tender, smaller leaves on the basil I harvested and some of the flowers were good too!
Much better pictures outside, even in the shade. That pesto jumped out of the page at me. Reminder to self…make and freeze pesto! Yum.
Thanks Liz – I almost let my basil go too long but I was able to get enough for two big batches of pesto. Interesting, how light contributes to the color of the basil. Even inside pictures can show it in different shades 🙂
I’m so jealous of your basil harvest, for some reason even the potted herbs I try and maintain die on me! I’m doomed to spend a fortune on fresh herbs all the time haha!
Lovely photos too, absolutely love the close up of the flower!
Buying enough basil to make pesto would be very expensive and I am glad I don’t have to except in the winter months. Thanks for your comments on my photos – I think I need some props and probably sunshine every day 🙂
What a great harvest. Any time I grow basil it nearly always goes to seed, I am clearly not quite attentive enough but hey, we still manage to use lots of tasty and wonderful-smelling leaves in cooking 🙂
Basil needs to be picked on a very regular basis. I grew too much and it was hard to keep up with my plants this year. That’s why making pesto is the best way to use a lot of basil leaves 🙂
Beautiful photos Aunt JuJu! I’ve always frozen minced basil in olive oil, but it never occurred to me to freeze the pesto, what a great idea! Thanks for sharing with FF#84.
Thanks Effie – I do the same thing and float oil on top to keep it as fresh as possible. Happy FF 🙂
Doing the same thing this week! 🙂 love basil!
Me too Johanne – we are not too far from getting a frost. In Michigan we never know what to expect with the weather 🙂
There’s nothing like fresh basil, love the smell, taste and everything else. Great that you were able to salvage a lot of the leaves and make that delicious looking pesto. This year we had Thai basil from the garden. Great photos too Judi.
I know Loretta – basil is my favorite. I had one Thai Basil plant – love the pink/red flowers and the flavor! The pictures were very interesting between shade and indoor lighting – I need to have more patience taking pictures and to get the look I want!
What lovely basil plants! I wish our basil grew well enough for a substantial harvest…but the most we can get is usually just a few leaves then and now. This is also such a clever way to preserve it for the rest of the year!
Thanks so much – making pesto is the best way to preserve basil and use it throughout the colder months in soups, stews, dips and the list goes on…
Wow… that’s a lot of Basil! Lucky you… And I love how you froze them…Such a great idea! Never thought of doing that before…
Thanks – it was either harvest it or take the chance of losing it. I did not keep up with it so well as it goes to seed if you do not “clip it” all of the time.
My favourite herb! Your pesto looks scrumptious!
Mine too Sheryl – the pesto is always so good 🙂
I need to do the same!!!
I did not want to lose all those yummy leaves so I did manage to salvage quite a bit!
Wow such a fresh looking pesto and beautiful pictures…
Thanks so much Chitra – pesto is an addition to so many recipes 🙂
I love basil plants!! The grow so easily in the right conditions! Have a look for Pepita Seasoning when you get the chance!