Dec 20, 2008 1:56 pm US/Pacific
Tony Tantillo: Basil
-
-
CBS 2 HD food reporter Tony Tantillo.
CBS
Well today's tip of the day is going to be on basil. OK, I've done tips on basil before, but in the wintertime?
There's some basil out there that is wonderful coming in from Florida, and hothouses all over the states. They're in the markets and the prices right now are pretty good. Last year at this time, for some reason, there wasn't a lot of basil out there and the prices were through the roof, but now they're coming down and that's a good thing for everyone who loves basil, especially for making pesto.
They're sold mainly in containers just like this, which is good. When you buy them, make sure they're nice and green all the way around. When you bring them home though, open up that container; that's very important. Do not store this container in the refrigerator. If you do, all this green will turn to black and you don't want that. It's the most common mistake made when consumers buy basil; they store it in the refrigerator; store it on the counter.
Inside here is a bunch of basil, obviously. What you want to do is cut the bottom off like cut flowers, put them in a glass of water right on the counter, and put some cellophane around; that's like it's own little hothouse. The basil stays nice and green and will give out that wonderful aroma to enjoy and the kitchen will smell like Italy; that is even better isn't it?
Basil in the wintertime, and you can have that wonderful pesto.
Fresh Bean Chowder with Pistou
This dish can be made with any combination of fresh beans and any kind of all-purpose potato (not a Idaho baking potato).
Serves 4
2 ounces pancetta, cut into small slices
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups any combination of shelled cranberry, lima, or other fresh beans
4 cups de-fatted Chicken Stock
2 cups cubed all-purpose potatoes (1/2 -inch dice, peeled if desired)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts (see tip)
1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. Put pancetta in a large saucepan or small, heavy-bottom kettle over medium heat. Cook, covered, until pancetta becomes crisp, about 10 minutes .Remove pancetta to paper towels and drain all fat except a thin haze, less than a teaspoon.
2. Cook onion, covered, over medium-low heat until just soft. Add cranberry beans and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, 10 minutes. Add lima beans and potatoes and simmer, covered 15 to 20 minutes more, just until beans and potatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, with the motor running, put garlic down a feed tube of a food processor. Scrape down sides, turn on again and add pine nuts. Scrape down; add basil, 1/2-teaspoon salt, and the oil. Purée until the pistou is smooth.
4. When beans and potatoes are tender, add about 1/2 cup of the broth to the pistou just until it starts to become runny.
5. Put soup into each of 4 bowls and drizzle a few tablespoons of the pistou on top. Sprinkle with crisped pancetta.
Cooking Tip
As you may have guessed, pistou is another word for pesto, in this case in French. This version is considerably slimmed down by adding stock instead of oil; toasting the pine nuts enhances the flavor.
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments