Frozen Basil Preserve

Basil or Basilik is one of the most widely known culinary herbs around the world. Not only it brings unforgettable aroma and flavor, it is often used in traditional medicine as well. Even though the origin of basil is unknown, it is deeply rooted in many cultures: in Italy, the herb is used to complement many traditional dishes; in Mediterranean France, basil side by side with fennel, oregano and saffron is considered essential part of culinary activities; in the Southern part of Russia, people add basil to fresh salads or eat it by itself.
There are many ways to preserve basil. I do it rarely. Luckily, we can buy a fresh bunch of basil and other herbs all year round:-) On the other hand, what should we do when we have so much herbs that we can not use it all at once? This time it happened to me. After visiting local farmers' market in Davie, I came home with a giant bunch of aromatic basil:-) Usually I dry my herbs and store them in plastic bags or glass jars. However, basil loses its' beautiful green color when being dried. After checking various websites, I found this really amazing and easy way to freeze basil on frugalliving.com. Besides, one time, on my friend's kitchen, I saw milled garlic frozen as ice cubes - another marvelous idea! So, here is the recipe:

Ingredients

A bunch of fresh basil (separated from the steam, thoroughly washed and dried)
2 tablespoons of olive oil (you can always add more depending on the consistency of mixture)

Instructions

1. Place basil leaves in a blending cup. Add olive oil and blend it with a hand processor for 1 minute or until thick and blended well. (You might need to stop a couple of times to scoop the mixture off the blades with a spatula to blend better)

2. Transfer the mixture in a plastic container, cover with a cap and put in a freezer.

* If there is more basil, you can use a regular food processor.

* I reuse plastic containers from food I buy in stores. It is a good way to save our environment:-)

* When using the basil, take it from the freezer and use it as you would usually do.

Bon Appetit!