Lemon Basil Delivery or Pickup

Like all fresh herbs, lemon basil is highly perishable If your lemon basil has stalks with attached leaves, place it in a small container and add just enough water to cover the bottom of the stalks. Cover the stalks and container with a clear plastic bag and place it in the fridge. Individual leaves should be wrapped in lightly dampened paper towels, placed in a plastic bag, and stored in the fridge.

For long-term storage, consider dehydrating or freezing your lemon basil. Leaves can be dried out by placing them in a low oven or dehydrator for several hours. You can also hang lemon basil stalks upside down in a dry room where they will dry on their own in a few weeks. Dried lemon basil should be stored in an airtight container away from heat and sunlight.

Lemon basil leaves can be individually frozen on a sheet pan and then packed in a freezer-safe container. Lemon basil leaves frozen in this way will maintain their flavor but tend to turn black. Preserve lemon basil's bright green color by chopping lemon basil leaves in a food processor with some olive oil. The olive oil coats the leaves and prevents them from changing color. Place the mixture in an ice cube tray for easy use in recipes. For an average ice cube tray, one cube equals two tablespoons of fresh lemon basil.

Lemon basil is added whole or sliced into a chiffonade before adding to recipes such as soups, stews, dressings, and more. All you need to chiffonade basil is a cutting board and a sharp knife. Follow these steps to create thin ribbons of delicious lemon basil:

It is very important to use a sharp knife when cutting lemon basil. A dull knife will bruise and crush the leaves, turning them black.