Basil Archives - Page 3 of 8 - De Ma CuisineDe Ma Cuisine

Monday

12

October 2015

0

COMMENTS

Pomegranate and Purple Basil Iced Tea

Written by Rachel, Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Cocktails, Dairy-Free, Drinks, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Vegetarian

When I think of basil, I think of things like pesto, soup, risotto… even french toast. I love basil so much that I grow it in my garden – I can never seem to get enough. It’s one of the best things about summer (and fall, at least around here). The smell is intoxicating. So when purple basil came in the weekly Abundant Harvest Organics box, it seemed like the perfect time to try something new with it. I made tea.

While basil is one of the stars of this tea, it has some pretty powerful co-stars: pomegranates and ginger. I like this combination for a few reasons.

It’s fun to find something new to do with pomegranates. I sometimes have trouble using them up. This recipe used two whole pomegranates. Perfect!
Ginger – spicy and flavorful, but that’s not all. Did you know that ginger is good for you? It’s great for the tummy and intestines. It’s anti-inflammatory, can help with nausea, and is said to reduce pain levels for individuals with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Ginger tea is diaphoretic (warms from the inside out), so it’s great if you’ve got a cold, or if you just want to warm up.
On the healthy note, there are lots of studies going on about the many health benefits of pomegranates. They are being researched to find out their effect on things like free-radicals, memory, and even the common cold. Basil is also known to be a digestive aid, to help with headaches, and poor circulation. It’s also said to be an antioxidant, anti-viral, antimicrobial, and a stress reliever.

Great tasting, great for you.

To begin, those pomegranate seeds need to be removed from the pith or membrane (for a refresher on how to do this, check out last year’s post on deseeding pomegranates). Once they’ve been removed and the skin and pith discarded, the rest of the ingredients are added.

The seeds, ginger, basil, and honey are covered with boiling water and left to steep for a while.

Once the tea has come to room temperature, it’s mashed (to extract as much pomegranate flavor as possible) and strained.

After cooling completely in the fridge, it can be drunk as is with a sprig of basil for garnish.

Some fun twists: To serve it hot, either reheat the chilled tea, or just let it steep for a bit and then strain. I have a cold today, so I turned the leftover cold tea into a hot therapeutic tea. I added some more fresh ginger, a pinch of cayenne (helps me with congestion), and a bit more honey (soothes my throat) On a day when I’m feeling better, I might consider turning it into a cocktail (it could be used as a mojito base). Fresh lemons could also be added for a yummy take on lemonade.

Happy Sipping!

Pomegranate and Purple Basil Iced Tea

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Pomegranate and Purple Basil Iced Tea

Ingredients

8 C water
2 pomegranates, seeds removed from peel and pith
2-3 t fresh ginger, diced
1/4 C purple basil
(could also add mint or lemons)
1 T + 2 t honey (or more, to taste)

Instructions

Boil water.
Place pomegranates through honey in a heat-proof container. Pour boiling water over. Let stand until room temperature (unless serving hot - in that case steep until flavorful enough). Mash, then press through strainer and cool completely in the refrigerator. (Could freeze some in ice cube trays to use in place of ice for serving.)

Notes

Some fun twists: To serve it hot, either reheat the chilled tea, or just let it steep for a bit and then strain. Or, to drink when I have a cold: I turned the leftover cold tea into a hot therapeutic tea. I added some more fresh ginger, a pinch of cayenne, and a bit more honey. It could be used in a cocktail (it could be used as a mojito base). Fresh lemons could also be added for a yummy take on lemonade.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/pomegranate-and-purple-basil-iced-tea/

Possible health benefits are my opinions and ideas, based on the research that I’ve done, but are in no way intended to replace the advice of a qualified health care professional.

Sources:

The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D., and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., with Lara Pizzorno, M.A., L.M.T., Atria Books 2005

Reader’s Digest Foods That Harm Foods That Heal, The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc. 1997

Wikipedia

Thursday

1

October 2015

0

COMMENTS

Cream of Squash Soup

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Roasting, Soups, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

This summer, like most summers, I planted a garden. We used the compost that I’d been working on for a year. We bought organic dirt, and I rummaged around for the seeds that I’d been saving. Some were from packages (and probably a few years old at best), some saved from last year’s Abundant Harvest Organics produce. They were planted with eager anticipation. It happens every spring. The daily ritual of watering, peering into the black dirt to see if there’s even one sprout. And for days, there’s nothing. And then it’s like a thousand tiny miracles happen overnight. There are tiny sprouts, some shyly emerging from the dirt, as if unsure. Some are a bit more bold and brave, seeming to grow inches in minutes.

Most of the brave ones are squash.

My composter is the type that you add kitchen scraps to and then roll around outside to mix it up. So it doesn’t have a layer of dirt dirt at the bottom the way some do. It doesn’t bother me to have partially decomposed fruits and veggies mixed in with the dirt. No big deal. Except that I didn’t know that it’s really best to add the compost about a month before you plant. Gives the volunteers some time to die off.

Now I know.

I’d planted summer squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, green beans, snap peas, tomatoes, basil, potatoes… and more. I ended up with a few of the things I’d hoped for and some that I hadn’t intended at all.

Winter squash. In the summer. Oh well, the growing process is fun no matter what I end up with. And I learned something from it, so double win.

Thankfully the winter squash will keep foreeeeeeever on the counter. I harvested this spaghetti squash in like July (um because I accidentally pulled out the plant when I was clearing out some dead vines). I was saving it for something special… or just fall. I don’t really know. It just didn’t get eaten and all-of-a-sudden it’s soup time again and the winter squash are screaming to be used.

I will comply.

Every year I look forward to fall so I can get back to the thing I love most: All. The. Soup. It’s one of the best ways to get so many veggies into a dish. Today I had peppers (sweet and chile), onion, carrot, garlic, and squash (both summer and winter) on hand. I had a ton of garlic chives and fresh basil too.

I roasted the squash yesterday so that this would be pretty quick. A bit of olive oil on the inside and out, a hot oven, an hour or so, and they’re done. I let them cool and then refrigerated overnight. All I had to do to the squash today was scrape it out and add it at the right time. Easy.

I’m always amazed at what happens when veggies, stock, vinegar, and some salt are simmered for a while. It’s a little like magic.

This is pretty much a straight up vegetable soup, until you add the coconut milk or cream. That’s what makes it extra special. But, if you don’t have either, don’t sweat it. Just make an awesome Squash and Carrot Soup and call it good.

Like most soups, this will probably taste best tomorrow, so I’ll just go ahead and add it to the menu again.

Happy Eating!

Cream of Squash Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 48 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 3 minutes

Yield: 3-4

Cream of Squash Soup

Ingredients

1/2 spaghetti squash (or other variety), seeds removed (once cooked, roughly chop the spaghetti-like strands so they aren't too long)
1 t + 2 T olive oil
2 1/2-3 C veggies (any): bell or sweet pepper, summer squash, carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, celery, green beans, radish, chile pepper (ribs and seeds removed), onion, shallot, leek; diced
to taste salt
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t maple syrup or honey
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 t dried (or 1/4 T fresh) thyme
4-6 C veggie stock (could also use chicken)
1/4 C fresh herbs: basil, garlic chives, parsley; diced
coconut milk or heavy cream, for serving

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Brush squash with 1 t olive oil (inside and out). Roast cut side down for about 60 minutes, or until flesh is tender. Set aside. (This step can be done ahead of time, squash cooled and refrigerated for up to a few days.)
Heat a soup pot over medium-low. Add 2 T olive oil. When oil is hot, add veggies and salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add squash and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Add thyme (if using dried) and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Add fresh herbs and cook for 3-5 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
Serve with a bit of coconut milk or cream swirled into each bowlful of soup.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/cream-of-squash-soup/

Thursday

24

September 2015

0

COMMENTS

Carrot Pasta with Tarragon

Written by Rachel, Posted in Beans, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Legumes, Lentils, Lunch, Main Dishes, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

If I told you that this was another dish where versatility is key, would you be surprised? It’s the way that I cook, so as often as possible, I will offer alternatives. Just in case it’s a different season when you read this post, in case you have something else in your fridge, in case you don’t care for something that I’ve used.

I wanted to do a pasta dish of sorts, using veggies as the pasta. Here’s where you can pull out that spiralizer, if you’ve already jumped on the veggie pasta bandwagon. I have far too many tools in my kitchen, so I opted to use a knife to cut carrots and summer squash into long, thin, pasta-like sticks (kinda like a long julienne). Other veggies that would be great: beets, parsnips, daikon radish, and fennel. Just mix and match based on what will go with the fresh herbs that you have on hand (for help with parings The Vegetarian Flavor Bible is a great kitchen tool).

I cooked the “pasta” in boiling salted water. I cooked for just three minutes – quick and easy.

To top the “pasta” I made a simple sauce of sorts. I used butter today, but for a vegan option, or just because it’s yummy, olive oil would be fabulous. I chopped up some small radishes, a shallot, and some garlic. Other veggies that would be great: peas, greens, cabbage, and green beans – again, mix and match based on the other veggies and herbs that you have on hand. Today’s herbs were tarragon and parsley. Other herbs to consider (these all go with carrots, if you want to keep them as the main veg): basil, Thai basil, chives, cilantro, dill, mint, and thyme.

You could leave things as they are. That’d make for a great dish. But, I wanted to bump up the protein, so I added some lentils. I’m kinda obsessed with green lentils right now. They hold their shape well and taste great. I want to eat them all the time. Garbanzo beans or black beans would be fun too, if you’re not as in to lentils as I am.

The lentils and tarragon, along with the dijon mustard that I added to the sauce, resulted in a dish that felt kinda French inspired. Topped with fresh tomatoes, this was a fabulous lunch. By the time I got to it, it was more room temperature than hot, but it was delicious. So, serve it either way. You could also top with more fresh herbs or nuts, even cheese, if you’re feeling cheesy. It would be great with some garlic bread or cornbread alongside, and a hearty spinach salad… But, just on its own is wonderful too.

Happy Eating!

Carrot Pasta with Tarragon

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 2

Carrot Pasta with Tarragon

Ingredients

2 T butter or olive oil, divided
1/4 C radish, diced
1 shallot or small onion, diced
to taste salt
(could also add: peas, greens, cabbage, green beans)
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 C lentils (or garbanzo or black beans), cooked
1 to 1 1/2 t dijon mustard
1 C carrot, thinly sliced into strips and then into long noodle-like sticks
1/2 C summer squash, thinly sliced into strips and then into long noodle-like sticks
(could also use or substitute: beets, parsnips, daikon radish, or fennel)
1-2 T fresh tarragon, chopped (with other veggies could substitute basil, dill, mint, or thyme)
1 T fresh parsley, chopped
1 tomato, chopped, for topping
splash white vinegar, for topping

Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
While it comes to a boil, heat a skillet over medium-low. Add 1 1/2 T butter or oil. When it's hot, add radish through salt. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, lentils (or beans), and dijon, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1/2 T butter/oil, tarragon, and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
While sauce cooks, drop carrots and squash (and any other veggie "noodles") into the boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes. Drain.
Top "pasta" with lentil sauce, some tomatoes, and a splash of vinegar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/carrot-pasta-with-tarragon/

Thursday

10

September 2015

0

COMMENTS

Veggie Pot Pie

Written by Rachel, Posted in Baking, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Eggs, Gluten Free, Herbs, Leftovers, Legumes, Lentils, Main Dishes, One Dish Dinners, Potatoes, Potlucks, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Pot pie is one of my favorite foods. I think I say that a lot though. So many foods are favorites that I’m starting to lose track. I guess it depends on the season. Pot pie is one of those dishes that I don’t make all that often during the hot summer months. But, when it finally cools down, it’s all that I want to eat (that and soup, always soup). But, this pot pie can be enjoyed any time of the year, because the veggies can be changed up to suit whatever you’ve got on hand.

This is a great dish to clean out the produce drawers. That’s what it felt like today. I used mushrooms (great for adding a deep, rich flavor), summer squash (but winter squash would be great here too), carrots, turnips (don’t add too many, otherwise they may overwhelm), eggplant, potatoes, radishes (doesn’t matter what kind), onion, chile pepper, garlic chives, and garlic… It’s at least one of everything that I had on hand, minus the lettuce and tomatoes that I’ll save for another time.

I also added lentils, or you could add tofu if you’d like. They would take the place of the meat in a Chicken Pot Pie, Beef Pot Pie, or Lobster Pot Pie.

Since there were so many veggies, they took a while to cook. Once they were tender, I added some veggie stock whisked with some all purpose flour (or you could whisk the stock with some cornstarch for a gluten-free version). Once it came to a boil it began to reduce down and thicken, resulting in a nice rich gravy.

At this point, you could just top the oven-proof skillet with pie crust and pop it into the oven. But, today I wanted to do some individual pot pies, so I greased some ramekins and filled them with the hot filling.

If you’re making this ahead of time, the filling can be cooled at this point and then refrigerated or frozen. To use it, defrost in the fridge for a day, then either heat it up first, or pour it into the baking dish and top with pie crust. If your filling is cold you may want to cover your crust with tinfoil partway through the baking time if it starts to get too brown.

Pot pies can also be covered, baked, and cooled completely, then reheated at a later date. To cool quickly, remove the crust to cool separately. Stir the filling often to get cool air into it. Refrigerate once it’s cooled down (if food is too hot when it goes into the fridge, the fridge temperature may raise to an unsafe temperature).

Of course you could also just stand at the stove and eat it out of the pan… 😉

I have a favorite pie crust that I make, from Alana’s cookbook, The Homemade Pantry. One crust was perfect for four individual ramekins of pot pie. If you prefer gluten-free, there are flour blends available, or you can just buy a GF crust at your favorite market.

I can’t decide what’s more favorite, the beautifully browned crust or the savory gravy soaked veggies. Good thing I get to eat them together.

Happy Eating!

Veggie Pot Pie

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 1 minute

Total Time: 1 hour, 21 minutes

Yield: 4

Veggie Pot Pie

Ingredients

2 T olive oil
1 C any: potatoes, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, chopped
6-7 C combination of any that you like together: carrots, parsnips, turnips, beets, radishes, eggplant, summer squash, winter squash, onion, shallot, leeks, fennel, celery, greens, cabbage, bell pepper, green beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, asparagus
to taste salt
2-3 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 C lentils or tofu (optional), chopped, if tofu
1/4 C any* (fresh): garlic chives, basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, or rosemary, chopped
1/2 t paprika
1 t dijon mustard
2 T AP flour or 1 T cornstarch whisked with 2 1/4 C cold veggie stock
1 T lemon juice or vinegar
1 pie crust
1 egg (optional), whisked, for brushing
salt

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
Heat an oven-proof skillet (unless using individual ramekins, in which case just use a skillet). Add oil. Add veggies and salt. Cook over medium-low for about 15-20 minutes, or until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic through dijon and cook for 1 minute. Add flour or cornstarch and veggie stock mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until sauce has reduced and thickened and all veggies are tender. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice or vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
Roll out pie crust. Use it to top the oven-proof skillet, or divide the veggie mixture into 4 greased 6" ramekins and top with pie crust (1 crust should be enough for 4 ramekins). Brush with egg if desired, sprinkle with salt, and use a knife to cut some vent holes in the center.. Bake for 30 minutes, or until crust is browned and flaky.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/veggie-pot-pie/

Monday

7

September 2015

0

COMMENTS

Tuna Boats

Written by Rachel, Posted in Appetizers, Dinner, Eggs, Fennel Pollen, Fish, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Kid-Friendly, Low Carb, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Quick and Easy, Sides, Snacks, Vegetables

There are so many things that you can do with tuna. It makes a fabulous sandwich, one of my favorites. It’s a great addition to pasta, one of my comfort foods. And, it’s good in a boat. Specifically a boat made of veggies.

This is one of those awesome recipes that’s great no matter the season. So I will share one of my favorite ways to make it, and then some mix and match options.

For this recipe, the stars were hard boiled eggs, shallots, and fresh tarragon. Plus the boats: cabbage, tomatoes, and cucumber. It was fabulous.

I started with the eggs. My method for hard boiling is what my mom taught me: boil water, add 1t white vinegar, add eggs, boil for 15 minutes, cool eggs under cold running water. I like to peel the eggs right away, while they’re still a bit warm. They’re easier to peel.

After the eggs, the rest came together in no time.

We loved the cucumber boats, the tomato boats were yummy, but the cabbage boats were our favorite. There was something so perfect about the slightly sweet cabbage that went so well with the tuna and egg mixture.

Since tuna goes with so so many things, it didn’t seem fair to limit the recipe to just a these few ingredients. So here are some mix and match ideas. Mix a little something that you think would taste great together, from each of the five categories, for a quick and easy treat.

Creamy/Liquidy

Mayo, yogurt, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, aioli, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, silken tofu, olive oil, sesame oil.

Herbs

Basil, cilantro, dill, chives, fennel pollen, parsley, Rosemary, sage, thyme, tarragon.

Seasonings

Cayenne, paprika, pepper, salt.

Extras

Bacon, arugula, bell pepper, celery, back/white/fava/green beans, capers, chile peppers, hard boiled eggs, garlic, ginger, leeks, lemon zest, red onions, pancetta, scallions, shallots, radishes, tomatoes, salsa, olives.

Serve In

Avocado, cucumber, cabbage, carrots, celery, kale, chard, mixing, lettuce, radicchio, daikon radishes, radishes, fennel, beets, jicama, shiitakes.

Some may be best cooked and scooped out (beets and carrots). They could be served with the veggies at room temperature, or even chilled. Others will just need the seeds or some of the flesh scooped out (any good bits could be mixed with the tuna or saved for later). Those of the leafy variety need just be separated.

And now, here are some combos that I came up with, all of which I can’t wait to try.

French Inspired Tuna, tarragon or basil, hard boiled eggs, and mayo, served in a tomato or cucumber.

Asian Inspired Tuna, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, onion, chile pepper, and cilantro, served in summer squash, tomato, or cabbage.

Mediterranean Inspired Tuna, olives, olive oil, paprika, lemon zest, parsley, basil, dill, white beans or garbanzo beans, and red onion, served in cucumber, bell pepper, or tomato.

Mexican Inspired Tuna, yogurt, salsa, black beans, cilantro, chile pepper, bell pepper, tomato, and red onion, served in avocado, tomato, or bell pepper.

Italian Inspired Tuna, garlic, rosemary, parsley, basil, thyme, tomato, lemon juice, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, served in tomato, fennel, bell pepper, or summer squash.

Happy Eating!

Tuna Boats

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 2-3

Tuna Boats

Ingredients

2 hard boiled eggs
1-2 T mayo
1-2 T plain yogurt
1 T olive oil
1 T tarragon or basil, chopped or cut in a chiffonade
pinch cayenne
to taste salt
1 T shallot or red onion, diced
1-5oz. can tuna
cucumber, tomato, or cabbage (halved, center scooped out if applicable), for serving

Instructions

Cook eggs (boil water, add 1t white vinegar, add eggs, boil for 15 minutes, drain, pour cool water over, peel right away).
Combine eggs through tuna. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
Scoop tuna mixture into cucumber, tomatoes, and cabbage.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/tuna-boats/

Newer Entries →

← Older Entries

Basil Archive

12

0

Pomegranate and Purple Basil Iced Tea

Happy Sipping!

Possible health benefits are my opinions and ideas, based on the research that I’ve done, but are in no way intended to replace the advice of a qualified health care professional.

Sources:

The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D., and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., with Lara Pizzorno, M.A., L.M.T., Atria Books 2005

Reader’s Digest Foods That Harm Foods That Heal, The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc. 1997

Wikipedia

1

0

Cream of Squash Soup

Happy Eating!

24

0

Carrot Pasta with Tarragon

Happy Eating!

10

0

Veggie Pot Pie

Happy Eating!

7

0

Tuna Boats

Creamy/Liquidy

Herbs

Seasonings

Extras

Serve In

Happy Eating!

Looking for Something?

Support My Cookbook!

Favorites

Instagram

Recent Posts