My mind was reeling a bit, as the green peaches that I'd come for were gone gone gone and I was flustered trying to decide whether to change a published catering menu or search else where for product, I mean... I drove all the way to Westerville.
By way of introducing me to her product, and I like to think as a way of letting me clear my head and perhaps find some inspiration, Val put me in the capable hands of one of her farmers for a tour. I was struck by the large variety of product, and excited for a couple of years to pass by, when the farm will really be in full bloom. In the short term, I satisfied myself with the knowledge that if I'm careful, and quick, the first harvest of some of my favorite things will be available.
For a whole season, however, in the mean time herbs abound there and as we strolled from plot to pot smelling and sampling, one thing stood out to me in a big way. Basil. Someone out there loves basil. There were literally miles of it. Purple, Green, Thai... I think I even saw some saw toothed Holy basil in the distance.
By the time we made it out of the sage plot, where I lingered overlong perhaps, my hands reeked of sage and my palate was pretty much blown. On the way back to the farm house I was stuck trying to figure out what I could use. As much as I loved the succulent leaves of sage they offered, its a bit too aggressive for any preparations I had in mind. As we walked by the rows and rows of basil, a plan started to form and by the time I'd reached the porch, I was in love with the thought of a garlic-less Thai basil pesto with sesame oil and peanuts. I was virtually swimming in it.
But how much Thai basil?
My mind blanked, stems, yield. It was flowering, so a lot of it would be a bit tougher, though the Thai isn't as prone to the bittering you'd experience in sweet basil. As I often do, when put on the spot, I overreached.
"Four Pounds!" I blurted and 20 minutes later I was on the way to the car with two large grocery bags packed with basil. What was I thinking?
As I picked through the leaves to prepare them for blanching, I was struck by the aroma of the leaves. and perhaps unconsciously, the resemblance of the tight buds to capers. It seemed a shame to throw them away and I researched a ton of uses for basil flowers, none which would apply to me by the time I'd be able to use them. I needed to preserve them, which left me two options. Drying or salting.
Then I had and idea. What if I "capered" them, and their little flowers too!
I made a heavy brine, rinsed them thoroughly and immersed them in the brine right after I made my pesto and a couple of days later the product is aggressively salty and caper like, but it has an amazing sweet herbal quality that is more pungent than the more conventional pesto and if you let the broken buds linger on the tongue for a moment, a numbing sting reminiscent of szechuan peppercorns or flowers/buzz buttons floating in my most memorable hot pots.
Basil Bud "Capers"
3/4 cup basil buds
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vinegar (I'm not gonna make this decision for you. I will say I'd stay away from very sweet or lower acid vinegars)
1 tablespoon sea salt
Dissolve the salt in the vinegar and water, pour over your rinsed buds and let sit, refrigerated for well, I've had mine down for 5 days and they're awesome. They were delicious in two days. They might not make it two months.
