Basil is native to India and Asia and has been a part of their culinary history for more than 5,000 years. It's also a key ingredient in a lot of Mediterranean dishes. For the most part basil plants have beautiful green leaves that give off a wonderful aroma. It's part of the mint family and it's an excellent source of vitamin K, iron, calcium and vitamin A.

There are lots and lots of varieties of basil; some of the most popular are lemon basil, cinnamon basil, anise basil and clove basil. Opal basil, which has purple leaves, is one of my favorites. You should look for evenly colored leaves with no sign of bruising, wilting or yellowing. All fresh herbs should be carefully washed, wrapped in a damp paper towel and then placed in a plastic bag, which can be stored in the refrigerator up to four days.

Basil's unique flavor allows it to complement the flavors of lamb, fish, poultry, beans, pasta, rice, tomatoes, cheese and eggs. It also works well in conjunction with ingredients like garlic, thyme and lemon. It's outstanding in soups, stews and sauces. It's always best to add the fresh basil (and/or any other herb) near the end of the cooking process, so they can impart their maximum flavor. Herbs tend to lose their full-bodied flavor the longer they are cooked.

Basil is one of the main ingredients in one of my favorite recipes, pesto, so please try my very simple recipe. I'm sure you'll love it. If pesto isn't what you had in mind when thinking basil I'm sure the rest of the recipes will do the trick. All the recipes are fabulous with fresh basil and very very good with the dried stuff.

Pesto (Dairy)
The amounts are not exact but it's always good.

Approximately 4 cups fresh basil (washed well, loosely packed)
2-4 teaspoons minced garlic (to taste)
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1/3-1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4-1/2 cup pine nuts

Place leaves in bowl of a large food processor (you may have to do this twice if the bowl isn't big enough). Process until leaves have been chopped quite a bit but aren't too mushy. Add garlic and pulse again. This part is important: With food processor running, adds the olive oil one tablespoon at a time through the opening. Turn the machine off frequently and scrape down the sides. Add the Parmesan cheese and pine nuts and pulse again until you get the consistency you want. Some prefer a coarser pesto, others a more pureed consistency. Place pesto in an air-tight container with a piece of plastic wrap over it to keep it from turning brown. It will keep up to 2 weeks. Great over noodles with chicken or fish. Makes about 2 cups.

Basil And Orange Chicken (Meat)
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/3 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
3 tablespoons oil

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place in a sealable plastic food storage bag. Pour the orange juice, oil, honey and basil over the chicken, tossing to coat; seal tightly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours, turning the bag occasionally. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain, saving the marinade. In a skillet brown chicken on both sides but don't cook thoroughly. Place chicken in a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish. Pour the saved marinade over chicken. Bake for 25 minutes or until tender. Serve hot or cold. This is wonderful over wild rice. Serves 8.

Bean Salad With Basil Vinaigrette (Parve)
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 can red beans, drained and rinsed
1 red onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced thin
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
8 basil leaves, chopped

Dressing:
1 teaspoon minced garlic
15-20 basil leaves, minced
2 sliced green onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl combine the garbanzo, black, navy and red beans. Add the onion, celery, water chestnuts, red pepper and basil. Toss to combine and set aside. In another bowl combine garlic, green onions, salt, pepper, mustard, vinegar, oil and nuts. Whisk together (can be made in a blender or food processor). Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let flavors blend. Serves 8.

Roasted Garlic Basil Sauce (Parve)
8 large garlic cloves
2 zucchini
1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
1 cup water
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap garlic cloves tightly in foil. Cut zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick slices and season with salt and pepper. Put foil-wrapped garlic and zucchini on a baking sheet and roast in middle of oven until garlic is tender and zucchini is pale golden, about 15 minutes. Unwrap garlic and cool. Have ready a bowl of ice water. In a saucepan of boiling water blanch basil and parsley 10 seconds; drain in a sieve. Refresh herbs in ice water to stop cooking; drain in sieve. Sauce ingredients may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and kept separately, covered and chilled. In a blender blend garlic, zucchini, herbs, water and lemon juice until smooth, about 1 minute, and season with salt and pepper. Makes about 1 1/2 cup.

Modified from Gourmet, September 1997

String Bean Chicken With Basil Fried Rice (Meat)
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken, cut in strips
1 1/2 to 2 cups string beans, cleaned
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chili paste or 1 chopped jalapeno chili
4 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
25-30 basil leaves

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and stir-fry the chili or chili paste and garlic 1-2 minutes until just starting to get soft. Add chicken, green beans and onions and stir-fry until meat is almost done, 3-5 minutes. Add the rice, soy sauce, sugar and basil leaves; stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minutes until mixture is hot throughout. Serves 4-6.

Bread Machine Tomato Basil Bread (Dairy)
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/4 cup water (70 degrees - 80 degrees)
2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups flour
1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in mixing container in this order: flour, milk powder, sugar, salt, minced onion, basil, marjoram, thyme, olive oil and tomato paste. Place yeast in dispensing section. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size according to bread machine directions (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons water or flour if needed). Follow bread machine directions. Makes one loaf.