More Summertime Grilling Fun - Basil and Sage Chips

Grilled basil and sage leaves: the taste sensation that's sweeping the nation? Perhaps not - but they've fast become a mealtime treat at my house. Something has to be done with all that basil and sage we planted in the garden this year, after all.*

Basically, it's the same recipe/treatment as for the grilled kale chips in my previous post. Use large leaves, of course; in the case of the basil, these would be the ones that "got away from you" and got a little too big to be tender or flavorful because 1) you can't watch the garden every minute of they day, plus 2) you planted too many plants, and 3) there are only two of you in the house to try to eat all of it. (That's how it works at my house, at any rate.) Don't forget the touch of salt and cayenne in the mix of olive oil/ tomato sauce/dash of wine or cider vingar and what have you.

Marinate at "room temperature" for about 2 hours; less and the leaves, especially the sage, will not have absorbed the marinade adequately. More, and you will find yourself dealing with very limp leaves that need to be manually uncurled and flattened as they are laid on the grill. At that point, even the most devoted slow-food enthusiast will find themselves wishing they had stopped at a burger joint on the way home. (I won't tell if you won't.)

As with the kale, you put these on low (and very low) coals, watch carefully, turn at least once if necessary; the basil leaves especially start to curl at the edges and will take on the color of - well, of dead autumn leaves. Not pretty, but surprisingly tasty and addictive. Stiffness to the touch indicates crispness. I've used both sweet italian and thai basil, because that's what I have in my garden; I haven't tried lemon or red basil varieties, but I can see myself planting those next year just for the sake of putting them on the grill.

I can't call the kale chips "mine" because their are so many recipes out there for them; I will however, stubbornly and proudly call the basil and sage chips "mine", if for no other reason than they were born of a happy accident: I had thrown some of each herb into an olive oil/tomato sauce/etc marinade with portobello mushroom caps, the leaves ended up on the grill with the 'shrooms and were crispy when I removed them. Of course I had to pop them into my mouth - if it's grilled, it has to be ok, yes?

Is this the "wackiest" thing I've ever put on top of a grill (and then into my mouth)? Possibly. Have I hit the wall in terms of what I'm willing to try out on the grill, to "see what happens"? Almost certainly not.

What's the most unusual thing you've ever cooked on the grill (successfully or unsuccessfully)?

*Yes, I have tried air-drying them, as I've done very successfully ever year past; this year, however, the humidity is slowing the drying process to a crawl.

Thai Basil and Ice Cream - Afterthoughts

Thinking back to my post yesterday, it does occur to me that I rather ignored my vegan/vegetarian friends with my ice cream suggestion. My apologies. It also occured to me that, in the spirit of Thai cuisine, thai basil over non-dairy coconut milk ice cream would be a splendid combination.

Two Great Tastes That SHOULDN'T Taste Great Together...But Do

Vanilla Ice Cream and Thai Basil.

Just let that sink in for a minute.

"You've got to be kidding me" was my sweetie's immediate reaction (or something along those lines), as well as any friend I've mentioned this to thus far. At least until she actually tried a bite of it, and ended up having a small bowlful.

No, I wasn't kidding. The basil - a milder, sweeter variety than some, or so I'm told, with a gentle nip of anise/licorice flavoring, is a perfect contrast for the smooth, bland and sweet ice cream. I'm assuming - and perhaps shouldn't - that anyone reading this knows the difference between thai basil and the more-familiar Italian basil, which has an entirely different taste. (PLEASE do not think I've thrown that variety into my ice cream. I may be crazy, but I even I have my limits.)

It was a move born of desperation, I think - what to do with that handful of thai basil sitting on my counter, freshly picked from the garden? So, it was an early evening, that pile of excess basil that we didn't finish at dinner sat on the counter before me, and my sweet tooth was starting to kick in. I had vanilla ice cream in the freezer, but what did I want with it? Something different, yes. Well, what if...? Yes, this will do, very, very nicely.

This is our first year growing it and it's turned out to be hardier - and more productive - than the Italian basil. Perhaps thai basil doesn't mind less-than-ideal soil. Maybe it's a masochist that thrives under a bit of neglect. In any case, I've put it in every soup, salad, and entree I can think of. Not that my sweetie and I are tired of it, by any means (unlike, say, the bumper crop of squash two summers ago), but there are only her and myself here to eat it all, and unfortunately it doesn't dry well, unlike other herbs. I've read that you can freeze it, but that seems less than appealing; thai basil is very delicate, and I can't imagine it's flavor would survive a trip to the Arctic.

So, into soups and salads and entrees and, occasionally, a bowl of ice cream it continues to go, at least for a few more days. If we are lucky. A cold snap has descended rather quickly in Connecticut, and autumn is making it's presence felt and I suspect that my thai basil may soon end up making that trip to the Arctic, after all.