Tips for Preserving Basil

To dry basil:

• Don't tie basil stalks together or hang them to dry as you might other herbs.
• Pinch or snip leaves from the stems and place them on a screen or absorbent towel.
• Stir daily and allow to dry until crackly.
• Store in an airtight container.

To freeze basil leaves:

• Clip the leaves from the stems and rinse.
• Spread them on a counter to air-dry for 30 minutes.
• Loosely layer leaves in a storage bag and freeze.

To freeze pureed basil:

• Clip the leaves from the stems and rinse.
• Spread them on a counter to air-dry for 30 minutes.
• Loosely layer leaves in a storage bag and freeze.
• Place fresh cut leaves in a blender or food processor.
• Process for a few seconds to coarsely chop the leaves.
• Add enough water to form a slush and process again.
• Pour this liquid into ice cube trays and freeze.
• Once frozen, pop the cubes out of the trays and store them in a freezer container for later use.