It has only been 2 weeks since the last time I harvested Basil from the garden and again this morning the plants seemed to have suddenly doubled in size.

From the (19) Basil plants that I have , (15) are big enough to harvest: from (3) Sweet Basil, (8) Purple Basil and (4) Spiced Basil I cut about (8) cups of leaves. This time I ran the leaves, with a bit of olive oil, through the food processor; processing eight cups of leaves yielded about a pint of Basil.

Tonight I am making a Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup for dinner, a teaspoon or so of my Basil harvest should be just the right touch.

About two weeks ago my next door neighbor asked me if I could grow some Shadow Bennie, an herb that she was familiar with from Trinidad. As I was completely unfamiliar with Shadow Bennie, and 100% uncertain of the spelling, she darted into her kitchen and returned with a bottle of Shadow Bennie sauce that her sister had brought back to Barbados from Trinidad. One sauce made from Shadow Bennie is traditionally served over Shark and Bake and is a mixture of White Wine Vinegar, Garlic, Vegetable Oil, Habanero Peppers, and of course the Shadow Bennie. It is also used in various curries and chutneys.

When I finally made it to the seedling nursery last Thursday I spotted an unfamiliar looking herb and asked what it was: Shadow Bennie! I bought (4) small seedlings and sat down in front of computer to decode the Shadow Bennie mystery.

The list of countries that count Eryngium Foetidum as part of their culinary culture is extensive, ranging from Asia, to Latin America and throughout the Caribbean including: India,Vietnam, and Thailand, Mexico, Honduras, Brazil, and Guyana, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Martinique and Guadeloupe, and Trinidad and Tobago. Equally varied are the names by which Eryngium Foetidum is known. In Puerto Rico, Eryngium Foetidum, known there as Culantro, is a key ingredient in Sofrito, this was news to me!

In Trinidad and Tobago, the name Shadow Bennie or Shado Bene is actually derived from the French Patois term Chadon Bene, meaning “Blessed Herb.” However, and possibly confusing things further, the Indo-Trinidadian population in Trinidad and Tobago refer to Eryngium Foetidum as Bandhania which is derived from the Hindi word, dhania, which means Coriander Seed. It is interesting to note that although the use of Bandhania is prevalent in the Indo-Trinidadian culture, I had difficulty locating references to it’s use in continental Indian cuisine; I fear that this might possibly mean that it has yet another name…

The consensus on Eryngium Foetidum is that it in flavor resembles Cilantro, however it’s flavor is much deeper and stronger; there is often confusion between it and Cilantro due to the close spelling. It is also interesting to note that Eryngium Foetidum is used extensively for medicinal purposes to combat fevers, stimulate appetite, improve digestion, combat colic, soothe stomach pains, and as an aphrodisiac. If you happen to be stung by a Scorpion the root of Eryngium Foetidum can be eaten raw to relieve the inflammation.

So no matter how you call it: Chicoria, Escorzonera, False Coriander, Fit Bush, Fit Weed, Herbe a Fer, Herbe Puante, Jia Yuan Quian, Jintenan… and the list goes on, enjoy it.

Right now I have (3) varieties of basil growing in my garden: Purple Basil, Sweet Basil, and Spiced Basil; altogether I have 15 Basil plants. (I would like some Cinnamon and Lemon Basil, but that would bring the tally close to 20 plants…) Last week, after seeing how quickly the plants were growing, I had a bit of a pruning panic. Scissors in hand, accompanied by a large salad bowl I managed to prune nearly (8) cups of Basil without really making the plants look much different.

There is so much information available on the Internet in regard to pruning basil; at times I feel that the Internet may provide too much information and too many differing opinions, this time, however, there was a significant consensus regarding Basil. Follow these steps to keep your plants healthy:

• From the level of the soil up the main stem of each plant count up 3 sets of strong healthy leaves, cut above the 3rd set of leaves. This should be done approximately every 3 to 4 weeks to encourage maximum growth.
• For day to day use in cooking prune the secondary stems taking the amount desired, with the leaves intact, just above the next lowest set of leaves, shaping the plant as you go.
• Avoid clipping single leaves without removing the stems as this encourages flower growth; allowing the plants to flower will cause the leaves to become bitter and unsuitable for cooking purposes.

It was only after I brought the Basil inside, removed it from the stems, and washed and dried it that I realized just how much I had. The mix of the shapes, sizes, and colors of Basil was stunning. After the pruning panic had subsided a new one set in, what to do with all of this Basil. In the end, in lieu of making the old standby: Frozen Pesto Ice Cubes (yuck), I opted for Garlic and Spiced Basil Infused Olive Oil, a Basil Marinade for that night’s Pork Cutlet Dinner, and an experiment, Frozen Basil Leaves.

Garlic and Basil Infused Olive Oil

Materials/Ingredients:
(1) 80z. (or small) Bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
(3) Peeled whole Garlic Cloves
(1) loosely packed cup of whole washed and dried Spiced Basil leaves

Method:
Carefully remove the clear plastic pouring cap from the Olive Oil bottle add the Basil leaves and Garlic Cloves. Replace the plastic pouring cap and seal tightly. Store away from sunlight and use within (1) week.

Note: Feel free to substitute any variety of Basil in this recipe; as well a “lighter” Olive oil may be used. Right now I am using this infused oil anytime I would use Olive Oil: drizzle it on lightly salted tomatoes, add a dash of black pepper and enjoy!

Basil Marinade

Materials/Ingredients:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
(3) rough chopped Garlic Cloves
(2) loosely packed cups of rough chopped washed and dried Spiced, Purple, and Sweet Basil leaves

Method
Rough chop the Basil and add it to a small plastic airtight container, rough chop the Garlic Cloves and add to container. Slowly add the Olive Oil to the Garlic and Basil stirring to ensure even coating of the leaves, do not over coat. Seal the container and refrigerate until chilled. Once chilled use as a marinade.

Note: Use this marinade with chicken, beef, fish or pork. I combined Pork Cutlets, the Basil Marinade, added salt and pepper, let it stand in refrigerator for about 2 hours, and pan fried them for a delicious dinner. The oil will help to keep the Basil and Garlic adhered to the cutlets, be certain to get as much of that delicious flavor as possible into the pan!

Frozen Basil Leaves

Materials/Ingredients:
Whole washed and dried Basil leaves
Ziploc or other airtight plastic bag

Method
After thoroughly drying the Basil leaves freeze in an airtight plastic bag.

Note: This method of preserving Basil will lead to significant color, but not flavor, change, these leaves can easily be used in pasta sauces or recipes where Basil’s bright green color would anyway be affected by the cooking process.