Team basil with fresh tomatoes and cheese or puree it for perfect pesto

Here are some recipes that feature fresh basil.

Layered Tomato, Basil and Bocconcini Salad

The delicate flavour of bocconcini, a mild soft unripened mozzarella cheese, is perfect with fresh tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinaigrette. Arrange overlapping layers in rows for an elegant platter; serve with sliced warm baguette.

2 small to medium tomatoes, sliced 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick

8 fresh basil leaves (of similar size)

125 g (4 oz) bocconcini cheese, drained and sliced 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick

50 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil

20 ml (4 tsp) balsamic vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper and coarse salt, to taste

50 ml (1/4 cup) finely chopped chives (optional)

On a platter or individual plates, arrange layer of tomato slices. Top each tomato slice with a slice of bocconcini and one basil leaf. You may need more than 1 slice of cheese depending on shape.

Just before serving, drizzle with oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with chives, if using.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 226 calories; 20 g fat; 7 g protein; 6 g carbohydrates.

Source: Foodland Ontario.

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Lemon Basil and Beans

This combination of lemon basil, oregano and lemon thyme adds zip to green and yellow beans for a simple vegetable dish.

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500 g (1 lb) fresh green or yellow beans (or a mixture of the two)

50 ml (1/4 cup) finely chopped lemon basil leaves

2 ml (1/2 tsp) finely chopped oregano leaves (or golden oregano if available)

5 ml (1 tsp) finely chopped lemon thyme leaves

30 ml (2 tbsp) butter or margarine

Clean and trim beans. Cut into pieces, if desired. Add beans to a pot of boiling, salted water and cook, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes on medium to high heat. Drain and return to pot.

Stir in remaining ingredients to melt butter and coat beans with herbs. Let cool for about 5 minutes and serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Source: Freeman Herbs, Beamsville, Ont.

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Basil Pesto

This classic, basil-based sauce is extremely versatile. It can be used as a sauce for hot or cold pasta, on pizza, a condiment for steak, a marinade for chicken or fish or even added to scrambled eggs. But it is strongly flavoured, so use it judiciously.

500 ml (2 cups) packed basil leaves

50 ml (1/4 cup) Italian parley leaves or 125 ml (1/2 cup) curly parsley (optional)

3 cloves garlic

125 ml (1/2 cup) pine nuts

125 ml (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan cheese (use Parmigiano-Reggiano)

75 to 125 ml (1/3 cup to 1/2 cup) olive oil

In a food processor, combine basil, parsley, if using, garlic and pine nuts. Pulse until finely minced. Add Parmesan and process to blend. Using feed tube, slowly drizzle in oil, processing to a moist paste.

Remove to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed onto surface (to prevent browning) or cover surface with a thin film of oil. Or place pesto in a medium sealable plastic bag, press out air and seal. Pesto will keep, refrigerated, for about a week.

Note: Pesto will keep several months if frozen. Prepare as above, omitting Parmesan and using the smaller amount of oil. Place pesto in a freezer container, covering surface with a thin layer of oil, or freeze in a sealable freezer bag. Thaw in refrigerator, not in microwave. Cheese can be stirred in after thawing. To perk up the colour after thawing, stir in 30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley.

Makes about 375 ml (1 1/2 cups).

Source: “Thyme in the Kitchen: Cooking With Fresh Herbs” by Yvonne Tremblay (Prentice-Hall Canada, 2002).

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Pesto Shrimp

This may be served as an appetizer with a fresh baguette (to dip into the sauce) or as a main course with rice or pasta.

125 ml (1/2 cup) basil pesto

500 g (1 lb) large shrimp, peeled and deveined

75 ml (1/3 cup) white wine

5 ml (1 tsp) lemon juice

In a large skillet, heat pesto over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, wine and lemon juice. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until shrimp just turns pink. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 main-course or 6 to 8 appetizer servings.

Source: “Thyme in the Kitchen: Cooking With Fresh Herbs” by Yvonne Tremblay (Prentice-Hall Canada, 2002). Note: This book is out of print but is available at http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=XB7600&show=&prodclass=Herb_Books&cart_id=8333072.15253