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racheljl

Uses for lemon basil?

racheljl
18 years ago

Hi guys. I have a dani lemon basil that's doing great but I'm not sure how to use it in cooking. Anyone have any recipes? Is there a stash of recipes on this website?

Comments (11)

  • breezyb
    18 years ago

    It is positively delicious in nearly any seafood recipe. I often chop some up & sprinkle it on plain baked fish or chicken, along with some lemon juice or lemon slices.

    It's also nice (as is Lime Basil) as an ingredient or garnish in any Thai recipe as well.

    Also works as a substitute or addition to regular Basil in tomato dishes.

  • HanArt
    18 years ago

    You can use sweet basil or lemon basil in this recipe.

    Lemon Basil Potato Salad

    2 1/2 pounds small Yukon gold or red potatoes, cut into eighths
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
    4 garlic cloves, finely minced
    1/3 Â 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
    1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    2/3 cup olive oil
    1/2 medium-size purple onion, thinly sliced
    3-4 thick bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (optional)

    Toss potatoes with olive oil and place on a foil-lined jellyroll pan. Roast at 450°F stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes or until tender and golden.

    Whisk together lemon juice and next 5 ingredients; whisk in 2/3 cup olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Gently toss potato and onion with vinaigrette.

    Sprinkle with bacon if desired.

    Serve immediately.

    ~source: Southern Living

  • Seamus_VA
    18 years ago

    I used it with scallops Saturday night. All I did was warm a tiny bit of butter in the pan with the scallops after the scallop juice leaked out I added some chopped parsley and whole lemon basil for a couple of minutes. Delicious.
    Just think of any dish you might add lemon too and you can use lemon basil.

  • momherb
    18 years ago

    Lemon basil makes terrific pesto. I like it better than pesto made with sweet or genovese basil. Just substitute it for regular basil in any pesto recipe.

  • alison
    18 years ago

    It's really nice chopped on top a fruit salad, maybe mixed in with a little lemon yoghurt.

  • Daisyduckworth
    18 years ago

    Basil Jelly
    1 1/2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
    1 3/4 cups water
    3 1/2 cups sugar
    2 tablespoons lemon juice
    90g powdered pectin

    Place basil in pan, add water, bring to boil, then remove from heat and set aside (covered) for 15 minutes to steep. Strain liquid into a 2 cup glass measure. Add water to measure 1 3/4 cup if necessary. Return liquid to saucepan. Stir in pectin and lemon juice. Bring to the boil over high heat. Add sugar and bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil for 1 minute. Pour into hot, sterile jars and seal. Try using purple basil, anise basil, cinnamon basil or lemon basil.

    Lemon Basil Potato Puff
    1kg potatoes, pealed and quartered
    3/4 cup fine dried breadcrumbs
    3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
    1 tablespoon chopped parsley
    3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
    1/4 cup snipped basil or lemon basil
    1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
    1 teaspoon lemon juice
    1 cup milk
    1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
    3 egg whites

    Cook potatoes , covered , in boiling water 20-25 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash. Combine breadcrumbs, margarine, and parsley. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of a lightly greased 1 1/2 litre casserole dish. Combine egg yolks, basil, lemon peel and juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 ground white pepper; stir in milk and one cup of the cheese. Stir milk mixture into potatoes. Beat egg whites till stiff peaks form, fold into potato mixture. Transfer into prepared casserole, top with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 180C for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Garnish with snipped parsley.

    Lemon Basil Snaps
    2 cups flour
    1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    3/4 cup butter or margarine
    3/4 cup sugar
    1 egg
    1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1/3 cup chopped fresh lemon basil
    1/3 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
    3 tablespoons sugar, extra

    Combine pistachio nuts and extra sugar, set aside. Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt, set aside. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in egg, mixing till combined. Add lemon rind, lemon juice and lemon basil. Stir in the dry ingredients, blending thoroughly. Wrap and chill the dough for 1 hour or till firm. Preheat oven to 180C. Shape the dough into 2cm balls. Roll in pistachio mixture till well coated. Place 3-4cm apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press down with the palm of the hand to flatten them slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes or till golden. Transfer to racks to cool.

  • kris
    18 years ago

    I have some lemon bsil too and a I plan to put it on fish. I will broil a white fish with dolops of butter or a bit of olive oil, chopped garlic and lemon basil on top. I've done this with basil and its great and I haven't tried this with lemon basil but think it'll be better with lemon basil.

    Also, I think the potato idea sounds really good. I often take red new potatoes boil em then cut in half and mix with a bit of butter/olive oil, a good bit of lemon juice (atleast one lemon) and lots of parseley, mix all up and you get a coated lemony parseley hot potatos that's great with fish. I think lemon basil would be delishious added to this as well.

    Don't be afraid to experiment, it's hard to mess up with fresh herbs, they are so yummy

  • alison
    18 years ago

    I love cinnamon basil; it's one of the ones I always grow. You can use it in most of the ways you use regular basil, and it's also fabulous chopped on top of fruit salad.

    I got this recipe from Shepherds Seeds maybe 15 years ago, and it makes spectacular jelly. The different varietes produce diffeent pastel tones -- pretty as well as tasty! Over the years IÂve tried all sorts of basils, but the cinnamon basil is the best.

    Scented Basil Jelly
    1/2cp packed fresh anise, cinnamon, opal or lemon basil (choose one)
    2 cps water
    2 T rice vinegar
    pinch of salt
    3 1/2 cp sugar
    3 oz liquid pectin
    1) Wash and dry basil in paper towels. Then finely chop or process it in food processor.
    2) Put basil in large saucepan and crush the leaves, using the bottom of a glass.
    3) Add vinegar, salt and sugar and bring to hard boil while stirring. When the boil can't be stirred down, add the pectin. Return to a hard boil that can't be stirred down, and boil for exactly 1 minute, then remove saucepan from heat.
    4) Skim off foam and pour hot jelly into hot, sterilized, 8-oz jelly jars. Leave 1/2" head space and seal at once with sterilized lids or melted paraffin. Makes four 8-oz jars

    Another fancy one:
    Cinnamon Basil, Chicken and Nut Spread
    1/4 c. sweet butter, softened
    1 t. honey
    1/3 c. very finely chopped cooked chicken
    3 t. washed, dried and finely chopped cinnamon basil leaves
    3 T. almonds, very finely chopped
    Salt to taste

    Blend softened butter and honey until smooth. Stir in chicken, cinnamon basil and almonds. Salt to taste.
    Serve on very thin bread with crusts removed. (Think high teaÂ.)

    I don't know where I got this recipe; I think it was from the Cooking Forum; but it's been a favorite ever since.
    Tipsy Cinnamon Basil Chutney
    2 c. fresh or frozen slices peaches (can substitute mango if you like)
    ½ c. canned "water-packed" pineapple chunks; drained
    1 small unpeeled orange; quarters, seeded and sliced thin
    2 T. lemon juice
    ¾ c. sugar
    2 T. chopped cinnamon basil
    2 T. light rum

    1) In a saucepan combine peaches (or mangos), pineapple, orange, lemon juice and sugar. Mix well.
    2) Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered over low heat until thick. (About 30 minutes)
    3) During the last five minutes of cooking, add the cinnamon basil. Remove from heat, stir in rum.
    4) Spoon at once into hot, sterilized jars. Process the chutney in a hot water bath for 15 minutes, or it can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks.
    Delicious with chicken, turkey, cream cheese and crackers, etc.

  • alison
    18 years ago

    I meant to post that on the thread looking for cinnamon basil recipes! Sorry!

  • cowgalkountry_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    Has anyone ever tried lemon basil tea?

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