Basil

Basil's fragrant oils vanish quickly with heat, so it should be added at the end.

Flavor

How to use it

Add last. Tear leaves into the dish off the heat. Its aroma compounds evaporate quickly when cooked.

Tear, do not chop. A knife bruises the leaf and it blackens as enzymes react with air; tearing keeps it greener.

Common mistakes

• Simmering it for a long time, which leaves a flat, grassy taste.
• Storing it in the fridge, where cold turns the leaves black.

What goes with basil

• Tomato. Basil's sweet, anise-like oils echo the fruity notes in tomato and soften its acid.
• Mozzarella. Basil adds a peppery brightness to mozzarella's mild creaminess.
• Olive oil. Olive oil's fat carries basil's volatile oils to coat your palate in flavor.
• Garlic. Garlic’s pungency and basil's anise notes create a classic aromatic profile.
• Parmesan. Basil and parmesan share a savory, sweet aroma that works in harmony.
• Pasta. Basil's aroma shares eugenol with tomato and pairs with pasta's bland base.
• Eggplant. Basil's aroma lightens eggplant's deeper taste.
• Tomato Paste. Basil's sweet anise notes contrast the acidity in tomato paste.

Try tonight

• Tear over warm tomatoes with olive oil.
• Blend with garlic and oil into a quick sauce.
• Scatter over a margherita-style flatbread.

Storage

Keep stems in a glass of water at room temperature; the fridge blackens the leaves.