Fresh Herbs - Using Different Basil varieties/ Rosemary/ Oregano

[a_boleyn]

I recently decided to start growing a few herbs at home in an outdoor planter. I have a 'black thumb' so I decided to buy some pots and see what happened. For a variety of reasons I ended up with a pot each of thai (not holy) basil and sweet dani lemon basil as well as several pots of regular "italian" basil for pesto. I've searched the net for

Comments

[randomstasis]

Good for you! Growing fresh herbs is such a fine thing- I have a windowbox of my favorites, all strangling each other, and a big rosemary that I use as a xmas tree.
It's fun to pinch off a bit and tear it up into a salad (tarragon is incredible for that, as well as eggs, fish and chicken)
or, just wrap your meat, potatoes or veg in oiled foil with a little green onion, garlic, ginger, lemon, herbs and s&p, soy, whatever- it grills or bakes up great, and smells so good when you unwrap it;D Except for potatoes (which work really well if you've chopped the herbs directly into their oil), I like to put the thicker things on the foil first, to prevent the meat from sticking/burning, and let the scent permeate.
Tomato mozzarella salad really needs lots of fresh basil:)
Make bruschetta/melts with sliced tomatoes sprinkled w/ fresh basil and oregano/marjoram, a few rings of red onion topped with swiss cheese, or provolone or mozzarella, even cheddar, then toast or broil till cheese is melted.
Add them to scramble eggs, breads, eggwashes or dips
Stuff the herbs inside fish, or under chicken skin. throw dead branches of rosemary on your coals for grilling, or use a brush of fresh herbs to baste with.
have fun!

[a_boleyn]

Thank you for all the ideas.

"I have a windowbox of my favorites, all strangling each other"

The 2 cement planters in the back sitting in full sun are big enough that it will take a while for that to happen. One has the 2 exotic basil plants and the oregano and rosemary plants while the other has a tomato plant surrounded by the 3 italian basil plants. If it would only stop raining so much so that the trio stops getting yellow lower leaves from overwatering.

[randomstasis]

Oh, they should be very happy there- btw, I've had good luck with rosemary, thyme and tarragon outside year round- in a southern facing location, rosemary and thyme're actually green enough to use even in winter.

and I forgot to say, when you're pinching off flowers, you can use those too, for a more delicate flavor, decorating salads, etc.
(and one last recipe that's really good- chop up lots of herbs, roll 1-2 inch cubes of pork in them, really coat them, and grill- it's incredible)

[a_boleyn]

I have an east facing back yard with lots of sun. There's a house on the south side with their driveway between.

when you're pinching off flowers, you can use those too, for a more delicate flavor, decorating salads,

I don't know how my mom would deal with that. (Elderly eastern European lady with pretty rigid dietary habits.)

chop up lots of herbs, roll 1-2 inch cubes of pork in them, really coat them, and grill

That DOES sound good. Right now, I usually do pork souvlaki or pork satay skewers so that would add something new to the lineup of what to do with the lean, inexpensive pork loin that I pick up periodically.