Frozen Assets

     Nighttime temperatures are plummeting in CT, which means it’s time to rip out any annual herbs and preserve whatever foliage is left for winter cooking.  My basil did great this season, and I thankfully have tons left on the plants.  However, this does beg the question: what method do I use to preserve it all?  I suppose that nearly all chefs would agree; cooking with fresh or fresh-frozen basil is far superior to dried flakes.  In the past, I’ve preserved fresh basil by placing shredded leaves in ice cube trays with a little water.  I read recently that some people freeze their basil in olive oil, making it easier to portion out.  The oil never freezes solid, so you can scoop out exactly what you need.  I’ll be giving the oil method a try and will review it here once I use some.