Make the Most of the Fresh Basil Harvest
How to Prepare Basil Stems for Culinary Use
Ahhhh… the scent of fresh basil leaves fills the air as the summer folds into cooler weather, and this most tender of herbs must be harvested and put by for later use in climates that get cold weather. Most cooks know that fresh basil leaves are sublime and freeze well for spans of the calendar when it’s not growing fresh.
But fall harvest time is perhaps the best time to take advantage of a usually overlooked – yet very tasty and useful – part of the basil plant: its stems. If there are any doubts about how much flavor the stems hold, one bite will prove the point: stems are deeply flavored in a related – but different – way to the fresh leaves. Basil stems have a deeper, more complex flavor than the leaves. They strike a different note, yet are a fat-free way to add good flavor to food. Plus, their flavor will mystify even those with well-developed palates because they are so rarely used.
How to Prepare the Stems
Fall is an optimal time to harvest and set aside the stems for kitchen use because the tougher stems hold up better to the treatment recommended here. Sometimes, early-season or store-bought basil stems can be short and very tender, and may not withstand this long cooking method. Because the stems have to be removed from the pot at a certain point, it’s convenient if they haven’t fallen apart or gotten mushy. Harvest the stems long and there will be plenty of hearty specimens easy to pluck out of the soup… or stew, or stock, as the case may be.
After the leaves have been stripped for other uses, discard any brown stems, or any very short ones as they will be difficult to retrieve unless you are going to strain your final product. Stems can be stored in a good freezer bag, and then frozen for use at a later time as needed.
Flavorful Ways to Use Basil Stems
In order to best infuse their flavor into the food, basil stems should be simmered in liquid for at least 20 minutes, and for as long as an hour. Here are some wonderful types of dishes to use basil stems successfully, plus some further tips. Use your imagination for the rest!
- Add with other vegetable and herb trimmings and/or bones to the pot when making kind of stock. Add the stems at the point when the water goes into the pot.
- Simmered in tomato sauce or soup or any sauce for a dish that will later contain tomatoes.
- When cooking dried beans or lentils, adding the stems with the water at the beginning will add a very special flavor to finished product. This includes any soup made starting with dried beans.
Any dish that requires long cooking might be a candidate for the use of basil stems. Two tests help in determining the best fit. First, does this dish taste good with basil leaves. If the answer is “yes”, then it’s likely that basil stems will be wonderful.
The second test is whether or not the stems will be easy to remove from the dish after they have done their magic. An opaque sauce with lots of different chunky bits may make the job difficult. Use best judgment as a cook, or perhaps remove them at a point in the recipe before the chunky bits go in; but do be forewarned about this.
Some cooks like to add these stems in dishes where fresh basil is also being used. However, one way to extend the fresh basil harvest is to use the stems where fresh basil won’t be present. Using the stems alone, their flavor will be more distinct and better highlighted.
Some Additional Links
Garden Fresh Sliced Tomato Pizza (a use for fresh basil leaves)
Puy Lentils from France (a beautiful place to use basil stems)
Taking Stock (about making stocks)
Basil-Flecked Potato Soup (a recipe that calls for basil stems for added flavor)
Don't waste the stems... the stems are great!
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