Garden Wisdom Blog

This recipe for Savoury Basil Scones uses the same simple base dough recipe as our Sweet Basil Scones recipe. Once the wet and dry ingredients have been mixed, just add the flavouring component. In this case we opted for sharp cheddar cheese. For a substitute, use any other sharp cheese, or add a clove of roasted garlic to the dough, and a dash of freshly ground black pepper or cayenne. Ingredients: 480mL (2 cups) all purpose flour 60mL (¼ cup) sugar 15mL (3 tsp) baking powder 5mL (1 tsp) salt 120mL (½ cup) butter, cut into 2cm (1″) cubes and...

Laab Gai is a traditional Thai minced chicken salad with fresh herbs. Thai cooks depend on the tropical herb phak phai (aka Vietnamese coriander or Persicaria odorata), but this recipe relies on a combination of Thai basil, cilantro, and mint. Culantro is another herb that fits perfectly in this recipe. The sharp tasting herbs balance the saltiness of fish sauce, spicy chiles, a sour tang from lime juice, and the savoury nuttiness of toasted rice. In short, this is an amazingly refreshing dish that is packed full of flavours and versatile enough to make use of nearly any seasonal fresh...

Happily, as soon as the summer blueberry crop is ready and the markets are flooded with fresh blueberries, it’s also time to begin harvesting basil. Blueberry and Basil Ice Cream? That’s right! This recipe was the result of our in-house cooking club official Basil Challenge. Kristin brought this in, and everyone loved it. Ingredients: 600mL (2½ cups) fresh blueberries (frozen also works) 60mL (¼ cup) water 180mL (¾ cup) sugar 240mL (1 cup) milk 360mL (1½ cups) heavy cream 5 egg yolks 5mL (1 tsp) vanilla extract pinch of salt 30mL (2 tbsp) fresh basil leaves, minced Directions: Make a...

Cucumber plants are really productive. Once they get going in summer, you may be hard pressed to find ways to deal with the quantity. This Japanese Cucumber Salad is very simple and quick to make, and it works well at dinner parties, since the servings are small. Serve it as a side pickle or as a palate cleanser between courses. Ingredients: 2 – 3 cucumbers 60mL (¼ cup) seasoned rice vinegar 5mL (1 tsp) sugar 1.25mL (¼ tsp) salt 30mL (2 Tbsp) sesame seeds, toasted Instructions: Peel cucumbers in strips. Slice cucumbers in half lengthwise, scrape out seeds. Thinly slice...

In high summer, when the basil crop is ready for harvest, drying and pesto production come to mind. But what about sweet basil treats? It might be surprising, but the strong flavour of basil, with its cinnamon undertones, combines nicely with citrus and sugar. In this form basil reveals part of its character that might otherwise remain hidden. This is a fairly basic sugar cookie recipe, but the addition of basil and citrus elevates it to a more sophisticated level. These Lemon Lime and Basil Sugar Cookies are sure to impress guests at summer parties. Ingredients: 250ml (1 cup) all-purpose...