Herb butter
Pizza topping
Put it in a glass of water and it will last a long time and even grow root.
And our favorite- sauted halved grape tomatoes in olive oil with basil chiffonade and a sprinkling of salt.
Plenty more but thats all I can can up with now.
Oh and pesto freezes well, just don't add the nuts.

DI

Not meaning to hijack your thread but every time I get fresh basil it turns brown for me really quickly. I've tried putting it in the frig with and without water. With my black thumb I can't even grow the stuff. What gives? I love fresh basil and would love to know how to keep it for a bit.

make and freeze Ruthanna's Tomato Basil Butter. I use the stuff on vegetables, on fish, on all kinds of stuff, it's yummy.

Or, as an alternative, I stick it in the food processor, chop it, add enough olive oil to make amast and freeze "plops" of it on a sheet pan. When they are frozen I put them in a ziplock bag and then just take out one or two and use in soup/etc when I want it.

TOMATO BASIL BUTTER
 1 Tbs. olive oil Â
1 1/ 2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes (about 1 lb.) Â
2 tsp. minced garlic Â
1/ 2 cup sweet butter softened Â
2 tsp. grated lemon rind Â
1/ 2 tsp. salt Â
1/ 8 tsp. pepper Â
1/ 4 cup minced fresh basil Â
 Heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Add the tomatoes and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes form a puree that will mound. Let cool.
 Put the butter in a mixing bowl and beat in the tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated but best served at room temperature so that it will melt quickly over fish. Â
 Freezes well, make a "log", wrap in waxed paper, then Ziploc bags.

annie

Hey, Coconut.
I've never tried freezing it but that will be my new "go-to" method. Thanks!

My daughter's garden has been producing quite well and we've been the beneficiaries of a lot of tomatoes, basil and other garden delights. We've been enjoying Ina's Carpise Salad.

Ina Garten's Caprese Salad

* 12 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seed removed
* 1/4 cup good olive oil, plus more for drizzling
* 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* 2 large garlic cloves, minced
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 16 ounces fresh salted mozzarella
* 12 fresh basil leaves, julienned

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with the garlic, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 2 hours until the tomatoes are concentrated and begin to caramelize. Allow the tomatoes to cool to room temperature.

Cut the mozzarella into slices slightly less than 1/2-inch thick. If the slices of mozzarella are larger than the tomatoes, cut the mozzarella slices in half. Layer the tomatoes alternately with the mozzarella on a platter and scatter the basil on top. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Serve at room temperature.

This is really good. I make as described but with half the amount of feta cheese - crumbled not in half inch cubes. I just don't love feta cheese that much.

Orzo with Tomatoes Feta and Green Onions

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup olive oil

6 cups chicken broth
1 pound orzo (or riso)

2 cups red and yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
1 7-ounce package feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Bring broth to boil in large heavy saucepan. Stir in orzo, reduce heat to medium, cover partially, and boil until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to large wide bowl, tossing frequently until cool.

Mix tomatoes, feta, basil, and green onions into orzo. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Add pine nuts; toss. Serve at room temperature.

Here is a link that might be useful: Epicurious link

You can also add crabmeat or cooked shrimp to the tomato mixture about 10 minutes before serving.

PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATOES

5 medium-size vine-ripened tomatoes
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar (can substitute basalmic)
1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped (can use more)
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 lb. Brie cheese, rind off, cubed
Linguini noodles or other pasta

Peel, seed and drain tomatoes. Chop coarsely. Sprinkle with vinegar after placing in a bowl. In a small skillet, cook the garlic in olive oil until softened but not browned. Add to tomatoes; stir. Add basil, salt and pepper. Marinate at room temperature for several hours. Cook linguini al dente; drain. Toss with tomato mixture and cheese cubes. Serves 4-6.

Chop up the basil and freeze it in ice cube trays or muffin tins. Top with a little water ( I use chicken broth). Once frozen pop out of the trays and freeze in freezer bags or containers. Great to have in the winter months to flavour soups, stews and pasta sauces.

Ann

Oh, Ann. I keep learning new things from you. I'm still making your scones (of one variety or another) for every breakfast occasion because my family thinks they are the best ever. Thanks for all the information and recipes.

Thanks as always. Busy day again today - out on the boat with friends - so I'm sorry I didn't get back earlier.

I found a recipe at epicurious last night for basil flatbread made with basil in the dough and also in a flavored oil. I made the oil yesterday to give it time to mature and will make the flatbread tomorrow. Will let you know how it comes out

That tomato basil butter sounds perfect. I may give the orzo recipe a try as well, leaving out the feta, but the majority of the basil is going into the freezer especially as I now know how to do it.

Finally - can you use basil if the leaves have turned brown or is it time to toss. I found an older bunch at the bottom of the veggie draw. Still smells good :)

lvmadison and loves2cook, your basil will last much better out on the counter in a glass of water, maybe with a plastic newspaper bag around all. Basil doesn't take well to cold temperatures. Tomatobob

Thansks, bob,
Any and all methods will be tried. I doesn't seem like it should cause me such difficulty but it does!

Thanks for the tip Bob. Have more coming this week so will give it a try.

I do what bob does. Works great.

Hey Coconut I do that too! It crumbles nicely when you "freeze dry" doesn't it? I make sure there is a good amount of air in the bag and I hang it from one of the door baskets until it's frozen. Whenever I freeze herbs in liquid they come out really slimy on me :(

I am in love, love, LOVE with this viniagrette from Simply Recipes!

I boiled up some golden potatoes the other night and drizzled this viniagrette on them while they were still warm...HEAVEN!

Basil Viniagrette
Recipe Source: Simply Recipes

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup roughly chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil

Method
Place the salt, sugar, mustard, shallot and basil in a blender or food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Scrape the sides of the blender down with a spatula. Add the vinegar and pulse again.

Turn the blender on low and take off the cap in the center of the blenderÂs lid. Slowly pour in the olive oil. It may sputter a little out of the open cap, so hold you hand over it to minimize splashing.

When the olive oil is incorporated, turn off the blender and scrape the sides down one more time. Cover and purée everything for 1-2 minutes.

Store covered in the fridge for up to a week.

Makes a little more than one cup.

Here is a link that might be useful: Simply Recipes