Preserved Basil Leaves (Frozen)

With night-time lows in the 40’s and rain every increasing, it’s time to say good-bye to our basil plants. They’ve been going strong since July but are starting to look a little haggard.

This technique is for when you want to preserve the flavor but don’t care about appearances. The individual leaves make great hidden additions to red sauces (and pizza). A thick bisque, too, like tomato or butternut squash.

Serves: variable
Time: 10 minutes, plus freezing

Ingredients:

• Fresh basil leaves, stems removed

Bring a pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in another pot or large bowl. Add the basil leaves to the boiling water, blanch for a several seconds, and then use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to transfer the basil leaves to the ice bath.

Once cooled, transfer leaves to paper towels, arranging them in a single layer. Pat dry, then transfer to parchment or wax paper so that they again form a single layer. Add more layers of paper as needed, fold gently, and place in a ziplock bag, pressing out as much air as you can. Store in freezer and use within a few months.