Join the Conversation

  1. And here the winter is just around the corner :p Basil I presume? That is my favorite herb :up:

  2. Yes. My mister basils. 🙂 I'm a novice at growing edible things and tried my hands at growing some bought herb seedlings last season for the first time. This season I decided to grow them from seeds and am glad it turned out OK. I've also sown some directly in a window sill container and the second tray for later. Can't wait to put fresh basil in my pasta sauce! I had some chopped & frozen for winter time use and when they ran out, used oregano, but they are not as fragrant.

  3. What's about your "mister basils"?;) Did you already eat your pasta sauce?

  4. I'm afraid they haven't grown much. Has been several cool days since I potted them up. May take a couple of weeks until they really take off. Until then I have to do with Mr Oregano only pasta sauce :chef:

  6. Thanks. But it isn't likely we'll get them soon. I've just woken up to a wintry morning of 7°C with southerly gale adding wind-chill factor, making it feels like 2°C!!

  7. 😆 I knew it'd be warmer anywhere else!Summer is coming to NZ, for sure. But right now the cold winter air mass over Antarctica is still fighting to keep his patch above us against warm pacific air. And Wellington is not known for being a warm place. There's nothing between us and Antarctica. So when the wind turns southerly, we get all the cold blast. This also make the Wellingtonians such a hardy bunch. The Guy Fawkes fireworks display went ahead last night despite cold evening drizzle + wind chill making it feel like 4°C, because apparently there were a lot of people out at waterfront to watch it!http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4315507/Weather-holds-off-for-Wellington-fireworks

  8. Oh, I thought summer is coming soon in New Zealand. :worried: Hope the weather conditions will change soon. These is the weather here in Germany for the moment:

  9. Originally posted by studio41:

    add a bit of garlic to olive oil and basil for dipping bread- with cracked pepper.

    Oh, sounds so good. Now you're making me salivate …Basil with tomatoes is good, or with potatoes. Don't normally bother with mozzarella, but that doesn't mean I don't like the combination.

  11. my pleasure :)I love to add a bit of garlic to olive oil and basil for dipping bread- with cracked pepper. and parmesan- oh dear, there I go…I have pesto in the freezer from my summer garden waiting to go into pasta or soup- it's so delicious. do you like basil w/ mozzarella & tomatoes?

  12. Oh, yes. It's magic. I love the way how a bit of chopped basil and good quality olive oil improves pretty much every kind of salad. Just can't wait until they grow up.Thanks for stopping by, Jill. 🙂

  14. It's outrageously simple. Nuke (or microwave in more common expression) your spuds. Cut your spuds and the skin usually sort of comes off naturally. Put the spuds in a bowel, sprinkle chopped basil, drizzle with good quality olive oil and a bit of lemon juice. Salt and ground pepper to taste. You can omit lemon and serve this with roast instead of the usual mashed or baked potatoes. :chef:

  16. I've never seen this one. I have bought all kinds and like a greek olive oil in most cases for salads and dipping. I cook typically w/ a lesser expensive oil.I have surprisingly a chocolate/pepper oil and vinegar I used tonight on tuna steaks…

  17. delicious! I use a bit of balsamic vinaigrette in the pesto and always toast the pine nuts first- I like the nutty flavour of it that way- sometimes, of late especially, I use toasted almonds instead of pine nuts. they are perhaps less expensive where I live…

  18. Originally posted by studio41:

    I use toasted almonds instead of pine nuts. they are perhaps less expensive

    That's a good idea. Pine nuts are very expensive. :up:What olive oil do you guys use? I've found a good one called Red Island. It's Australian and got very nice but somewhat peppery flavour.

  19. Some NZ produced olive oils are supposed to be very good, too, though not as reasonably priced as Red Island. Originally posted by studio41:

    I have surprisingly a chocolate/pepper oil and vinegar I used tonight on tuna steaks…

    Sounds very nice. My larder's a bit scarce today so I'll probably have some leftover mince in the freezer.

  21. Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:

    drizzle with good quality olive oil and a bit of lemon juice

    sounds a bit like a greek recipe someone shared w/ me… I will have to try it.Originally posted by 7Wellis:

    pine cores

    pine nuts?

  22. That sounds good. I often make a pesto with basile and eat it with Spaghetti. Mmmh! I add pine cores and parmesan. :chef:

  23. Originally posted by studio41:

    I use toasted almonds instead of pine nuts

    That's the alternative way. 🙂

  24. "Mince" as in minced/ground beef or a dish based on ground beef. My version I've just consumed was flavoured with garlic, occidental mixture of spices and tomato paste, and had fried aubergine cubes in it for texture. I had it on plane steamed (microwaved) rice tonight.

  26. Oh, dear. We have a fine day for a change today and I decided my little basils should get some sun. I've only left the pots in full sun for an hour or so and one of the smaller seedling has unfortunately succumbed to sun stroke. :rip: I was aware their small root system wouldn't withstand too much light stress straight after being potted up. But thought after a week their roots should recovered sufficiently from the transplant trauma. Guess I was wrong. Oops. :doh:I've moved the pots in semi shade and let others recover. Hopefully no more casualties.

  27. Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:

    aubergine

    I love eggplant! the name I know this by… YUM. the dish sounds wonderful!Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:

    succumbed to sun stroke.

    :(sorry to hear.

  28. Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:

    great to give any dish texture and richness.

    yes, I agree- I just love the stuff!Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:

    first bit of fresh basil of the season with my pasta tonight

    enjoy 🙂

  29. Yes, the egg plant is great to give any dish texture and richness. I also like adding aubergine fried with olive oil to my salad.Originally posted by studio41:

    sorry to hear.

    Other younglings have survived the day, which was lucky. I shall be happy to have the first bit of fresh basil of the season with my pasta tonight 😀

  30. Thanks. It was nice. (I had it with tomato instead of pasta.) I'm glad the little one's death wasn't totally wasted. :pHow do you eat your egg plant, Jill? Do you have a good recipe?

  31. Originally posted by studio41:

    I like it with basil, hot oil.

    Never tried with basil only, though I sometimes have it with tomato & basil I must try that next time, actually soon. I've also got some basil growing in a windowsill planter. They are growing faster and now need to have their top shoot pinched off to encourage side shoots growth. I'll probably have enough fresh basil leaves for one dish tonight :DOriginally posted by studio41:

    I don't like it as well in spread

    I tried to make some baba ghanoush a couple of times last year using different recipes. One turned out OK, two others were marginal (meaning I ate it but wouldn't offer to others). I don't know if the final product justifies the time & effort for roasting whole egg plant.

  32. sometimes just diced w/ sesame or olive oil, s&p. I like it with basil, hot oil.I don't like it as well in spread, but I will eat it 🙂

  33. Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:

    I don't know if the final product justifies the time & effort for roasting whole egg plant.

    well said!Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:

    one dish tonight

    what did you have?!

  34. I made beef burgers with herbs (Italian parsley & garlic chives) and pan fried sliced aubergine and large field mushroom (from supermarket :p) I added olive oil & chopped basil leaves to the vegetables in fry pan at last seconds and tossed a couple of times. :chef:I'd forgot over winter how sweet as well as sharp the aroma of fresh basil was! I'm glad now I'm growing as twice more basil as the last season. 😀

  35. YUM!Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:

    I'm growing as twice more basil as the last season.

    :yes:

Comment