How to Make Basil Oil
Pick fresh basil leaves., Bring a pot of water to boil., Add the 1 1/2 cups of basil to the water., Place in a strainer., Pat dry., Add the basil and oil to a blender., Blend the mixture., Keep in the refrigerator.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pick fresh basil leaves.
You'll need several handfuls of basil leaves to make 1 1/2 cups of packed leaves.
You can use basil fresh from your garden, from the supermarket, or from a local farmer's market.
Basil comes in many varieties.
The kind you can most easily find in the United States is sweet basil, which is perfect for use in Italian dishes and soups.
Sweet Thai basil is often used in Asian cooking; it is slightly spicier with hints of licorice and cloves.
Lemon basil has hints of lemon along with the typical sweet basil flavors.
Purple basil types, such as dark opal basil or purple ruffles basil, are also spicier than sweet basil.
You can use any of these basil types for your basil oil; it just depends on your taste preference and how you want to use the oil. -
Step 2: Bring a pot of water to boil.
Using a medium pot, fill it with water.
Bring it to a boil on the stove., You can leave them in there for as little as 10 seconds or for up to 60 seconds.The longer you leave it in, the more limp your leaves will be, and you may lose some of the flavor if you leave it in for too long.
Blanching the basil helps to maintain its color. , Dump the pot of water into a strainer, letting the water drain off.
Run the leaves under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Dump the leaves on a paper towel to dry., Use paper towels to the basil dry from the top.
Do not squeeze the basil because you will release too much of the flavor into the paper towels., Dump the leaves into a blender or food processor.
Also add in the 3/4 cup of olive oil., Set the blender or food processor to puree, and blend the mixture until the leaves are smoothly incorporated into the oil., If you don't use the basil oil immediately, keep it in the refrigerator in a covered container for 7 days. -
Step 3: Add the 1 1/2 cups of basil to the water.
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Step 4: Place in a strainer.
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Step 5: Pat dry.
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Step 6: Add the basil and oil to a blender.
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Step 7: Blend the mixture.
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Step 8: Keep in the refrigerator.
Detailed Guide
You'll need several handfuls of basil leaves to make 1 1/2 cups of packed leaves.
You can use basil fresh from your garden, from the supermarket, or from a local farmer's market.
Basil comes in many varieties.
The kind you can most easily find in the United States is sweet basil, which is perfect for use in Italian dishes and soups.
Sweet Thai basil is often used in Asian cooking; it is slightly spicier with hints of licorice and cloves.
Lemon basil has hints of lemon along with the typical sweet basil flavors.
Purple basil types, such as dark opal basil or purple ruffles basil, are also spicier than sweet basil.
You can use any of these basil types for your basil oil; it just depends on your taste preference and how you want to use the oil.
Using a medium pot, fill it with water.
Bring it to a boil on the stove., You can leave them in there for as little as 10 seconds or for up to 60 seconds.The longer you leave it in, the more limp your leaves will be, and you may lose some of the flavor if you leave it in for too long.
Blanching the basil helps to maintain its color. , Dump the pot of water into a strainer, letting the water drain off.
Run the leaves under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Dump the leaves on a paper towel to dry., Use paper towels to the basil dry from the top.
Do not squeeze the basil because you will release too much of the flavor into the paper towels., Dump the leaves into a blender or food processor.
Also add in the 3/4 cup of olive oil., Set the blender or food processor to puree, and blend the mixture until the leaves are smoothly incorporated into the oil., If you don't use the basil oil immediately, keep it in the refrigerator in a covered container for 7 days.
About the Author
Jacob Stewart
Enthusiastic about teaching cooking techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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