Our basil plant has been growing all summer long and we finally decided it was time to chop most of it down. (chop? It’s not a tree, Lauren, it’s a 1 foot tall plant…) We set out to make some pesto, but then realized: we didn’t have cheese. Or pine nuts. Or any nuts. So instead, we just chopped up the garlic super fine and mixed it with some olive oil. Then we stuck it in some ice cube trays in the freezer – - Once they were frozen, we popped them out and stuck them in another container. Whenever we’re cooking and want some “fresh” (not really fresh but better than dried store bought basil!) we can just grab one of these frozen cubes. Super fast and easy. We did that the other night with spagetti and it was wonderful! So whenever your plant is big, do all the work at once, and then you’re set for a whole season on basil! (or whatever herbs you like! Oregano… mm. Rosemary… mmmm. You could also do this with pesto but you wouldn’t wanna freeze it with cheese already in it. Enjoy!
freeze extra herbs in ice cube trays
October 25, 2012 by Lauren
Category Food Tips and Tricks | Tags:
This is SUCH a great idea!
I have been frozing pesto with the cheese in for years with success … Maybe it’s the ratio that makes a difference?
Lisa that’s awesome! Maybe that’s just a myth then that you shouldn’t freeze cheese. Good to know!
Yes, I started freezing basil cubes this fall. I used my first cubes a few days ago in a soup. Next year I will freeze more herbs. (Although I have cilantro growing in my mostly-unheated greenhouse and if it continues to thrive throughout the Maine winter, I will try the same thing with basil and other herbs next year).