Basil

Season: Summer

Storage: Store upright with the stems submerged in a cup of water, preferably on your window sill or counter. Change water every few days to extend shelf life to up to 10 days. Basil also keeps well in the fridge, kept in a closed bag or container.

Other Names: Tulsi

Fun Facts: This popular herb originates from India and has been grown for over 5000 years. Basil leaves are used for culinary purposes in many countries around the world, particularly Italy, France, Spain, Greece and Morocco. It can be found on almost every continent except Antarctica!

In some regions of India, basil is called tulsi because it was traditionally held to be sacred to the Hindu god Vishnu and goddess Lakshmi.

Basil has been shown to kill bacteria that cause food poisoning and diarrhea, and it can also reduce inflammation.

Thai basil, which is commonly grown at PIF because it stands up to Houston heat, is commonly included in south-Asian dishes. Enjoy in your next stir-fry or curry!

Find local basil by joining our Farm Share or shopping at farmers markets.

Tomato-Basil Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 large yellow onion

  • 3 large cloves garlic

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 2 1/2 pounds roma or tomatoes on the vine

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 10 large fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

Instructions

  • Dice 1 large yellow onion and mince 3 large garlic cloves.

  • Heat 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and aromatic, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, quarter the tomatoes, then cut each piece in half. (No need to seed, skin, or remove the cores; you should have about 8 cups chopped tomatoes.)

  • Add the tomatoes to the pot, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes have softened, broken apart, and started to go orange-y in color, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 10 large basil leaves, and season with black pepper. Stir to combine and let sit 5 minutes.

  • Use an immersion or standard blender to purée the soup, slowly drizzling in 2 tablespoons olive oil while blending, until smooth or desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, topped with torn basil leaves and more black pepper.

Make ahead: This soup can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated or frozen up to 3 months.

Blending options: An immersion blender is the easiest way to purée this soup, but a standard blender works just as well — and even a food processor can do the trick in a pinch! If using a blender or a food processor, work in batches if needed and make sure the feed hole or tube is open while blending so that steam can escape — puréeing a hot liquid could result in a messy (not to mention dangerous!) explosion.

Garlic Basil Shrimp Farrotto

Ingredients

  • 2 cups farro

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1/2 small onion, diced

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine

  • 3 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, heated to a simmer

  • 1 1/2 pounds uncooked peeled and delivered medium shrimp

  • 1 cup loosely packed chopped fresh basil leaves

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

  • Place the farro in a large saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the farro is tender but still firm to the bite, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain.

  • Heat the oil in the same saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Stir in the farro, along with a big pinch of salt and a few generous grinds of pepper.

  • Add the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir until it has all evaporated, about 1 minute.

  • Add a ladleful of the hot broth and simmer, stirring constantly, until the farro has absorbed almost all of the broth. Continue adding ladlefuls of the broth and stirring until it’s absorbed, until the farro is creamy, 8 to 10 minutes total. You should have about 1/2 cup or more of hot broth remaining at this point.

  • Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Continue to stir until the shrimp is opaque, 2 to 3 minutes, adding more broth as needed to keep the farrotto creamy and not dried out (you might not use all of the remaining stock). Remove from the heat and stir in the basil, butter, and lemon juice. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.

Note: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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