by Joan Inong

Created on: December 28, 2008

Basil is one of the most well-known herbs in the world. Its fragrance and taste are unmistakable. Versatile, easy to grow, and delicious, basil should be a welcome addition to any chef or aspiring chef's kitchen. If you have wondered how you can use basil, specifically sweet basil, as a seasoning or herb in one of your dishes, then read on.

Sweet basil is full of essential oils and antioxidants, so it's healthy for you and it tastes great. You can use basil either fresh or dry, but I think that fresh sweet basil is much more delicious than the dry form. If you have ever eaten a pizza and used dried oregano or basil on it, then you can use fresh basil, too. Fresh herbs are more delicate than dry ones, and usually are less strong than their dried counterparts. However, like with many herbs, using a little sweet basil goes a long way.

To use fresh basil (any kind), you can either cut it using scissors or a knife or you can rip it apart with your fingers. Many people prefer to rip it up by hand because they think that the knife's blades damages the leaves too much, but you usually get the same effect.

Fresh basil is delicious with a variety of flavors, which makes it a wonderfully versatile herb. If you want a little "zing" to your soups, then add a little bit of fresh sweet basil. If you want a salad with a bit more interest, then make it a basil salad or add some chopped basil to the dressing (olive oil and basil go exceptionally well together). If you have ever wanted to give your dishes an elegant and sophisticated look, then use basil as a garnish. The tops of the basil plant are perfect as garnishes because of their symmetrical shape.

Here is a classic yet simple basil recipe: Use a few sprigs of fresh sweet basil and place on top of a slice of fresh mozzarella. Place both the mozzarella and basil on top of a slice of fresh tomato. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Season with a bit of fresh ground pepper. This is great as an appetizer dish, and it looks elegant any time of the year. You could also dress the recipe up a bit by putting a slice of salami or any type of dried or cured meat on top of the tomato slice. Other uses for basil include: kabobs (skewer layers of basil, along with chunks of meat and vegetables such as tomato or cucumber); basil salad (using basil as the main ingredient); and basil dressing (which can be used to soak/marinate meat in).

Any way that you use basil, you will enjoy it. So, if you haven't started using basil in your kitchen, do so today! You won't regret it.

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