Basil, it's what's for dinner!

[perc-o-prince]

One of our fave sandwiches, and a pretty quick meal. Toast a roll, rub with a cut garlic clove, and drizzle with very good extra virgin olive oil. Lay down 3 slices of THINLY sliced prosciutto, a few slices of fresh mozzarella, some sliced roma tomato, and torn basil. Finish with another drizzle and some fresh ground pepper. Best served with a bold red wine like shiraz or chianti!!!

M-m-good!!!

Chuck

 

[perc-o-prince]

whoops!

Forgot the pic!

 

[toggleswitch]

Basil is a natural bug and pest repellant.

Looks good!

My ethinic does not cook with it too much. To us basiliko /basilico has religious significance. The word means "pertaining to the Kingdom" You are more lilkey to find a basil bush by the front door as a welcome and "protection" rather than shriveled and dried in the kitchen.

It it said that the first basil bush was found by St. Helen (mother of Emperor and Saint Constantine). She was looking for "the" famous cross. The sweet and pungent smell of the bush led her to her find in 326 AD.

See? It really is about the oral (unwritten) traditions. *LOL*

I know basil has an affinity for tomato sauce. What else can it be used in/on?

 

[~sudsshane]

How Italian!

Love you boys for that!!!

 

[gadgetgary]

Hey Suds....

I cook Italian style too for Toggles and he LOVES it.......

And....he is making a Greek out of me(ducks and runs~!)

 

[petek]

MMMmmm. those are one of my favorites as well. I usually use provolone instead of mozerella.

Something you might try if you can find it is a lightly spiced vegetable spread made from eggplant and spices..Usually it's made in one of the slovania countries and it's fab on those types of sandwiches..Comes in jars and I usually find it in either the ethnic section or near the mayo section at the groceries that do carry it.. There's different brands and it's red in color, sort of looks like a red paste.

 

[toggleswitch]

and both group like their oil!

*COUGH*

The four holy groups:

A) Pasta, cheese, tomato sauce and garlic.
B) Lemon, feta cheese, oregano, cinnamon

Just depends on which side of the Ionian sea your roots are in.

 

[perc-o-prince]

lightly spiced vegetable spread made from eggplant and spice

Might you be thinking of Baba Ghannouj? It's like hummus (hommus) but made with roasted eggplant rather than chick peas.

Chuck

 

[frigilux]

Togs---As you know, I lovelovelove Greek food, but with an Italian heritage I tend to eat Italian more often. Besides red and white sauces, basil is great in green salads; cut in a chiffonade over pizza or in meatloaf; in meatballs; in broth-based soups; in marinades for chicken; in scrambled eggs. My mom used to make a tomato salad on a tiny plate: A slice of garden-fresh tomato, a big basil leaf, a slice of fresh mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a bit of salt and pepper. Then you soak up the liquid on the plate with a hunk of French bread. Yum!

Come to think of it, the tomato salad looks a lot like Rich's delicious-looking sandwich, without the bread and meat.

 

[toggleswitch]

che?

chiffonade?

 

[perc-o-prince]

Frigilux

That's Insalata Caprese, or Caprese salad! It shows up on the menu of a lot of Italian restaurants that serve some rustic dishes. Delicioso! But, they use crusty Italian bread! We too usually use a smaller diameter loaf, like French, when making crostini to have with bruschetta.

Chuck

 

[petek]

Not exactly baba ganouche... here's the website of the importer..the brand I have now comes from Bulgaria.. it's called a Ajvar, about 15 items down on the page.
roasted peppers, eggplant, sunflower oil, garlic, vinegar.

http://www.sf-foods.com/show.php?bra=19&braName=S%26F#67

 

[goprog]

Ha - Item 14 was chocolate truffles, thought the next one
would be it - "poppy seed". Hmmm? Ajvar is # 28 - after
all the pickled peppers and sauerkraut and right before the
Pindjur - roasted red pepper spread. That sounds good too.

 

[brettsomers]

Basil is a natural bug and pest repellant

What a lovely thought (to follow those mouth-watering pics) LOL!

 

[frigilux]

Togs--Here's how to cut ingredients into a chiffonade.

 

[toggleswitch]

TYVM.

 

[toggleswitch]

Thanks Eugene!

~Basil is a natural bug and pest repellant.

*LOL* oh David............

So if you plant it between other things in your garden, you'll have fewer bug issues.

A low-tech solution to a low-tech problem.

 

[petek]

re as a bug repellent.. place some leaves on the shelves where you keep flours and baking goods etc and it will help repel those little critters as well

 

[toggleswitch]

Yay for "peasant" food. Sometimes, dishes with 5 ingredients or less are the BEST!