Season: Spring - Fall
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Spicy bush basil is a cultivar of Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil). Unlike some better known basils, it grows in the form of a tidy, compact bush, more suitable for gardens and small pots than most varieties. The small, densely growing leaves are used in the same way as the leaves of other sweet basil varieties.
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Mature Height
12 Inches |
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Mature Width
12 Inches |
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Light
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Moderate
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Uses
Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto, an Italian sauce with olive oil and basil as its primary ingredients. Many national cuisines use fresh or dried basils in soups and other foods, such as to thicken soups. Basil is commonly steeped in cream or milk to create flavor in ice cream or chocolate truffles.
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RECIPES
Fresh Pesto with Spicy Bush Basil and Pine Nuts
Ingredients:
* 3 plump garlic cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
* 4 cups spicy bush basil leaves, stems removed, leaves washed and dried
* 1 cup Pecorino Romano, freshly grated
* 2 tablespoons soft butter
* 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, add bit more if too dry
Directions:
Process the garlic, salt and pine nuts in food processor until chopped. Next, add the basil and olive oil and blend until smooth. When smooth, add the cheese and blend. Then add about 2 tablespoons softened or melted butter and process just to combine.
Pesto keeps very well in the freezer in small quantities. Whether you store in the refrigerator or freeze it, seal with a thin layer of olive oil on top and cover well to keep it from turning dark.
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