thoughtful consumption

So storing the basil in water on the counter hasn’t  worked so well for me.

My leaves never perked up as this site suggested they would. Explanations for failure include 1) I didn’t trim the stems the first time before putting them in water, and 2) it’s chilly in my house because we’ve held off turning on the heat.

The bad news is I have to use up the basil in the next few days. The good news is I have to use up the basil in the next few days.

About half of the basil, we had in tomato-basil pasta for lunch. Here’s the basic recipe for two.

Tomato-basil-Parmesan pasta

• Start water for pasta.
• Heat 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium low. Add a crushed clove of garlic and cook for about 15 minutes. When the clove is a little brown around the edges, remove it.
• Add pasta to the boiling water.
• Carefully add a cup of roughly chopped tomatoes to the oil. If you just toss them in, you might get spit on. Add a dash or two of salt.
• While the tomatoes cook, chop a handful of fresh basil leaves.
• Drain the pasta and dump it in a bowl. Pour the tomatoes and oil on top of the pasta and mix well. Then add the basil and top with grated Parmesan.
• Serve immediately to hungry campers.