The Best Way to Store Fresh Basil

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  Grow basil from seed and keep it in a well-lighted area. Starting your own basil plants gives you instant access to the freshest basil around. In addition, you can grow several different varieties, such as Thai, globe, boxwood and sweet basils, to add new dimensions to your favorite dishes.
  
  
• 2). Line the bottom of a 6-inch-diameter clay pot with some small stones and fill with a high-quality potting soil. Saturate the soil with water and stir to mix in. Add more soil if you got it too wet.
  
  
• 3). Poke holes in the soil at least 1 inch apart with a drinking straw or a pencil. Place one seed in each hole, and then cover over with the soil. You can plant several varieties in one pot or use different pots for each type.
  
  
• 4). Place the pot in a warm, sunny window. If you want to speed up the germination process, cover the pot with a layer of clear plastic wrap. After three to five days, you should see the first sprouts. At this point you can uncover the pot and allow the plants to continue growing.
  
  
• 5). Water once a week or when top soil is dry to the touch, but do not soak the plants. Within 45 to 60 days you should be able to begin harvesting leaves from the plant for cooking. To harvest leaves for cooking, gently pinch from the base, taking larger leaves first.
  
  

Storing Fresh Basil for Later Use

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  Preserve fresh basil for later use by freezing. Remove leaves from stems, rinse thoroughly and pat dry with clean towel or paper towel. To slice before freezing, stack several leaves and then roll into a tube. Slice into thin strips. Store cut basil or whole leaves in a plastic storage bag or small plastic container.
  
  
• 2). Finely chop or pulse handfuls of fresh basil leaves in a food processor for later use in pesto sauces and marinara. For 1 cup of fresh basil leaves, add 1 to 2 tbsps. of vegetable or chicken stock.
  
  
• 3). Transfer a tablespoon of chopped basil leaves into each section of a clean ice-cube tray. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least one hour. Once the fresh basil is solid, remove from the ice-cube tray and put in plastic storage bag or plastic freezer-safe container.