Cut basil properly to increase yield

Basil is a very popular and aromatic herb. Its home is in the Mediterranean, where it is widely used in sweet and savoury dishes. Basil is becoming increasingly popular in Eastern Europe. Many people grow basil in pots on balconies and in their gardens. It is a thermopile and cannot survive cold winters so, you must replant or buy a new one every year but that should not be a problem and it is definitely worth it.

When and how to harvest

Basil loves heat and sun, so you should cut before noon on a clear day, when it has the highest content of aromatic essential oils. But if you cut basil you need to follow certain principles. Some people recommend cutting large leaves only, while others recommend clipping off entire young shoots. However, it also matters what you intend to use it for. If you want to decorate, you will need beautiful large leaves (for example, Caprese salad or a Margherita pizza), but if you are making pesto, you should cut off the entire shoots, including the tops. If you are cutting off the entire top, you should cut it about 10 cm above the ground. Basil will grow back soon and will be a beautiful and strong.

Photo: Pixabay

Basil pesto

An Italian classic used in varieties of pastas but also for seasoning soups, toasted baguettes, grilled meats, and other goodies.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of basil leaves or whole basil leaves
• 1/2 cup of olive oil (extra virgin)
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan (or other aromatic cheese)
• 1/3 cup of nuts (regular nuts, but you can also use almonds, cashews or Brazil nuts)
• 3 cloves of garlic with a pinch of salt
• additional salt if needed

Procedure:

Place all ingredients in a blender, except for the oil. You will be adding oil during the blending process. Use pesto immediately. If you let pesto sitting for a long time, it will lose its beautiful green colour and turn gray or black. If you want to store it in a refrigerator you should “blanch” it (quickly submerge it in hot water and immediately cool it in ice water). You may also add a handful of parsley leaves while blending. The taste will hardly change but the colour will stay fresh longer.

Source:

https://www.ochutnejorech.cz/blog/domaci-bazalkove-pesto

https://www.nkz.cz/praxe/kalendarium/jak-spravne-sklizet-bazalku

https://www.toprecepty.cz/tipy-triky/bazalka-v-kuchyni-postup-zpracovani/

https://www.kucharkaprodceru.cz/bazalkove-pesto-zelene/

Preview photo: Pixabay