Basil Recipes

BasilTwo of our greenhouses are dedicated to basil here on the farm. Imagine the aroma! There’s more to basil than just pesto — find some basil inspiration here.

Kia’s Tahini Balsamic Salad Dressing

dressing fixings

Here’s an easy, quick homemade salad dressing with wonderful, complex flavor.

Although this salad dressing has ten or eleven ingredients listed, it’s actually really simple to make, and can be infinitely adjusted to suit your tastes, or what’s in your pantry/fridge!

1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
2-3 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon finely diced fresh herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, etc)
1 tablespoon stone-ground or Dijon mustard
1/4 cup hemp oil (optional)
35 twists on the pepper grinder
3 lemons, juiced (or limes)
2/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1-inch nub of ginger, finely grated (optional)

homemade salad dressing

Shake, shake, shake, and you’re done!

Combine everything in a quart mason jar, screw lid on tight and shake vigorously for about two minutes. Done!

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Sweet & Sour Pork Chops with Quick Pickled Leek or Garlic Scapes

4 (8-ounce) pork chops, bone-in, 3/4″-1″ thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chops, both sides, until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Place in oven and roast until cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 140 degrees F, about 8-10 minutes.

To make the sweet-and-sour glaze, combine balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat; season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Serve pork chops immediately with sweet-and-sour glaze.

These pork chops go great with Asian Pickled Leek Scapes!

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Sausage Bean Pasta Ragout

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound Nash’s ground pork sausage
2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups cooked beans (kidney, pinto, black)
4 teaspoons dried basil, or 1 cup fresh
3 teaspoons oregano
Crushed red pepper, to taste
1/2 cup macaroni
2 cups fresh greens (kale/chard/spinach/arugula/cabbage)
1/3 cup grated romano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: grated beets, carrot, and turnips

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté 6 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until brown, breaking up meat with back of fork, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, broth, beans, basil, oregano, and dried crushed red pepper. (Optional: add grated beets, carrot, and turnips too!) Simmer 15 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Add pasta and cook until tender but still firm to bite, about 15 more minutes. Add greens and cook just until wilted, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Mix in 1/3 cup cheese and more fresh basil, if you have some. Season ragout with salt and pepper; ladle into bowls. Serve, passing additional cheese separately.

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Napa Cabbage & Quinoa Salad

Napa cabbage

Napa cabbage is excellent for salads because of its crisp, lacy texture.

1 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon raw honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 head Napa cabbage
1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
1 carrot, grated
1-1/2 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled

In a blender, mix basil, walnuts, lemon juice, vinegar, honey and oil until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine cabbage, spinach, carrot, and quinoa. Pour dressing into salad mix and toss until evenly distributed.

We thank Chef Annie McHale of Port Angeles for this recipe.

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Golden Rutabaga Sunset

turnips...or rutabagas

Here on the farm, we lovingly call them “rooterbabies.”

Yield: 5 to 6 servings

1 large rutabaga, coarsely shredded
1 medium yam, coarsely shredded
1 medium onion, sliced vertically into half moons
1 large leaf kale, rib discarded, chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup raisins
Pinch of cayenne, salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped green onions for garnish
1 sprig fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, basil) for garnish

Combine the rutabaga, yam, onion, and kale in a large, deep skillet. Add the water and cook, stirring over high heat for 4 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add 1 or more tablespoons of water as needed to cook the vegetables and prevent burning. Add the raisins and cayenne, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to an attractive serving bowl or platter and garnish with the green onions and herbs.

Recipe adapted from VegParadise.com.

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Parsley Salad

curly parsley and Italian parsley

Parsley isn’t just a garnish — it’s the tasty highlight of this vibrant salad.

For the Salad
4 packed cups curly parsley leaves
3 ounces parmigiano-reggiano, coarsely grated or shaved
1 1/2 cups oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced into a medium julienne
1 teaspoon minced garlic

For the Dressing
1/2 packed cup basil leaves
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced

For the Salad
Carefully wash parsley to remove any dirt; dry well and place in a salad bowl. Add parmigiano-reggiano to the parsley. Add sun-dried tomatoes, along with garlic. Toss well to combine.

For the Dressing
Carefully wash basil to remove any sand, then dry well. Place the basil leaves in the bowl of a food processor and add oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste; process until smooth. Stir shallots and garlic into the dressing.

Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well to combine ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings. Divide among six salad plates, garnish with some shaved parmigiano, and serve.

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Aquacotta-Tuscan Peasant Soup

4 cups onions, sliced 1/3 inch thick
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
3 cups celery, chopped fine, including leaves
3 cups savoy or green cabbage
2 cups lacinato kale, sliced fine
1 cup firm tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed
8 leaves basil
Broth, vegetable or chicken
1/3 cup dried Nash’s kidney beans, soaked, cooked and drained
12 slices day old bread
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
6 eggs

Place onion, salt, and olive oil in a pan and cook until onion wilts. Add celery, cabbage, and kale, and stir. Add tomatoes, basil, and broth until all veggies are covered by 2 inches, and simmer 2-3 hours. Add beans and pepper to taste.

Toast bread and soft-cook the eggs. Don’t overcook because you want the yolk runny. Place a piece of toasted bread in bottom of soup bowl, ladle the soup on top, sprinkle with some cheese, and top with an egg.

From Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazen.

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Pesto with Basil and Parsley

flat-leaf parsley and Italian parsley

It’s been a great basil year! Although it will be winding down next month, we still have time to make pesto. Use it to add sparkle to pasta, fish, chicken, meats, sliced tomatoes, and sandwiches.

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves (1 large bunch)
1/4 cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Place the pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until finely ground, about 20 seconds. Add the measured salt and pepper, garlic, basil, and parsley; process until puréed, about 15 seconds.

With the processor running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream until incorporated. Add the Parmesan and pulse a few times to incorporate. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. If not using immediately, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pesto to prevent browning, and refrigerate, tightly covered, for up to 2 days. The pesto can also be frozen in small containers.

We thank Chow.com for this recipe.

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Chard Galette

rainbow chard

A galette is an open-faced savory pastry, perfect for a dinner party or for the holidays.

1 cup Nash’s soft white flour
1 cup Nash’s hard red or triticale flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, frozen, then grated
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup ricotta cheese
Salt
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic or 1 garlic scape, finely chopped
1 large bunch rainbow chard, ribs and stems removed, leaves cut into bite-size pieces
Flour for parchment
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 cup mixed fresh cilantro and basil
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt

Pulse flours and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl; drizzle with vinegar and 1/4 cup ice water. Mix with a fork, adding more ice water by the tablespoonful if needed, just until a shaggy dough comes together; lightly knead until no dry spots remain (do not overwork). Pat into a disk and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 2 hours. Dough can be made 2 days ahead, but keep it chilled.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Season ricotta with salt and pepper; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add half of chard, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing, until slightly wilted. Add remaining chard and cook, tossing occasionally, until completely wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment to a 14″ round about 1/8″ thick. Transfer on parchment to a baking sheet. Spread three-fourths of ricotta over dough, leaving a 1 1/2″ border. Top with reserved chard, then mushrooms. Dollop remaining ricotta over vegetables. Bring edges of dough up and over filling, overlapping as needed, to create a 1 1/2″ border; brush with egg. Bake galette, rotating once, until crust is golden brown and cooked through, 35–40 minutes. Let cool slightly on baking sheet.

Toss herbs with lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl; season with pepper. Top galette with herbs, zest, and salt.

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Basil Jelly

4 cups water
2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1 package (1 3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin
3 drops green food coloring, optional
5 cups sugar

In a large saucepan, bring water and basil to a boil. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain and discard basil.

Return 3 2/3 cups liquid to the pan. Stir in pectin and food coloring if desired. Return to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in the sugar. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; skim off foam.

Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Yield: 6 half-pints.

Nutritional Facts: 1 serving (2 tablespoons) equals 87 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, trace sodium, 22 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, trace protein.

My suggestion would be to use the exact amount of basil liquid and boiling time required by the jelly recipes that come with your boxed pectin, since every pectin is a bit different.

We thank Robin Sweeney for this recipe, who found it on TasteofHome.com.

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