Basil!

Even the word carries a whiff of basil’s invigorating scent. No matter how much of an afternoon slump I’m in, no matter how hot or sweaty, after a few minutes harvesting basil, I am resurrected. If the volatile oils of basil were visible, we would be completely obscured by a great roiling cloud of sparkling emerald green smoke in the middle of Henry’s rich bottom land. A visitor to the field would have no idea that there in the midst of the dazzling green cloud were people cutting vibrant basil plants.

The aromatic leaves contain dozens of volatile essential oils. Their relative concentration is the difference between “regular” Genovese basil, Thai basil, Lemon Basil, Holy Basil, Cinnamon Basil, and many others. You can use any of these to make a pesto and then use the pesto on pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and cooked vegetables. Or simply scatter leaves of Lemon or Thai basil onto soups or salads. One of our family favorites is to fold leaves of lemon basil into cornbread!

BASIL PESTO (feel free to adapt all quantities to your taste)

3 large garlic cloves

1/2 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds

2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano (or other hard cheese) coarsely grated (about 1/3 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 cups (or more!) loosely packed fresh basil

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tb lemon juice, if desired

Drop the garlic cloves into the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add nuts, cheese, salt, pepper, and basil. Pulse the food processor until everything is finely chopped.

Then, with motor running, add the olive oil and lemon juice, blending until incorporated. Add more oil if you want a thinner pesto.

Putting Basil Up: Just freeze cubes of pesto in an ice cube tray, or in small yogurt or other plastic containers.

NUTRITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: Basil has a huge range of anti-oxidants, and has long been revered as a healing herb. Basil is also high in Vitamin A and K, as well as calcium and other minerals.