Basil is a quite wonderful and fragrant herb that is very popular in Italian cooking. Basil is used for most of tomato sauces for pasta. It offers a sweet and characteristic flavor. Basil is also one of the main ingredients of the olive oil and herb pasta sauce known as Pesto sauce.
The most common varieties of basil (like Genovese basil) have licorice and cloves flavors. Thai basil which is more exotic tastes like peppery mint.
Fresh basil is easily findable as it is sold everywhere. It grows in sunny environments.
How to use basil
Basil is best used raw or only briefly cooked. Use the whole leaves, tear them, or chop them if you don’t mind the leaves turning black. The edible flowers are great in salads.
Use it fresh with tomato and slices of mozzarella, or half cooked in a vegetarian quiche for example.
Basil is nutritious
Basil can be eaten in larger quantities than some of the stronger flavoured herbs (think of thyme or rosemary) and therefore may be of a higher nutritional value.
Basil is an great source of iron, potassium, calcium, and Vitamin C as well. All these nutrients are beneficial to your health. Basil also contains small amounts of magnesium, Vitamin A, and manganese.
