Forum: cooking.stackexchange.com
Tags: <culinary-uses><basil><flowers>
Title: What uses are there for basil flowers?
Question: I have tons of basil in my herb spiral.  However, this stuff is precious, and I always feel bad when I throw away the basil flowers when I make pesto sauce.  Is there a way to use the basil flowers when cooking?

Answers:
sents: text: If you pinch off the basil flowers as they start to grow, the plant will produce more leaves.
text: (Yes, this is a horticultural answer, but it will help you make more yummy dishes with the leaves.)
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/1887/Martha F.
score: 22
sents: text: If you wanted to use them in cooking, I would recommend putting them in a sachet (a small pouch made of cheesecloth/muslin tied with cooking twine), as I know some people who don't actually like to eat the flowers, but enjoy the bitter tang they'll add to a dish.
text: They are edible, however, so if it turns out you like them, they make a beautiful garnish for a salad.
text: I'm not a huge fan, so I generally stick with Martha's suggestion and keep them pinched so the plant produces more leaves.
text: Once the flowers appear, the plants energy and resources become more dedicated to flowering, and the leaf growth suffers.
text: As mentioned in my comment on Martha's answer, I find that when the leaf growth suffers, the flavor of the leaves suffers as well.
text: This site recommends putting the basil flowers in olive oil, shaking, and leaving on a window sill for a month to make a light basil olive oil.
text: I've never tried this, and I'm interested, though I'm a little wary of leaving olive oil in a clear container in the sun for a month.
text: The general idea seems cool, though.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/1236/stephennmcdonald
score: 9
sents: text: I love basil flowers.
text: They are so much fun
text: and I use them all the time.
text: I have noticed that different varieties of basil at different times of the summer/growth stage will result in more bitter or delicate tasting buds.
text: You'll just have to experiment, but I have definitely had some really floral tasting flowers this summer.
text: I'll throw them into a pesto for a more complex, slightly bitter flavor - I just make sure to pick off any woody stems.
text: They are a beautiful garnish for just about any stonefruit (plums, peaches, nectarines) -
text: how about roast some fruit, serve with ricotta and some honey...with basil flowers?
text: They are gorgeous in salads or panzanella....
text: anything with tomatoes.
text: Finally, my favorite thing to do is use them to make basil flower ice cream.
text: Steep them along with basil leaves in a plain ice cream base and remove them once you have achieved the flavor you desire.
text: Keep in mind the flavor will develop if you let the base sit overnight (which I recommend) and
text: it will also continue to strengthen a tad as it sits in the freezer.
text: This is generally not a problem if you are making a small batch at home, but more of tip for professionals.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/2052/Avery Wittkamp
score: 4
sents: text: Yes, you can use them just as you'd use basil leaves.
text: They're generally milder tasting and more decorative in your dish.
text: Also - from flowers to seeds - a new harvest is also an opportunity.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/8457/Tobias Op Den Brouw
score: 1
sents: text: Vinegar.
text: Pinch off the blossoms and pack them in a jar, cover with white vinegar, seal and keep in the fridge for a few weeks to flavor through...
text: Then discard the blossoms and use the vinegar for dressings or marinades.
text: Delicious stuff...
text: Use sparingly though!
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/86/Shog9
score: 1
sents: text: If you grow African Blue Basil, you'll have a TON of flowers that are not at all bitter at any time.
text: We use them in all kinds of cooking, but our favorite use is to make Basil Bud Ice Cream.
text: Literally the best ice cream I've ever tasted.
text: The flavor of these flowers is the basil itself with strong floral overtones that mesh well.
text: Great fresh as a salad topper too.
text: Honestly, you haven't lived until you try growing African Blue Basil.
text: Everyone raves about it and everything we make with it.
text: Just finished a MONSTER batch of pesto to keep us through the winter.
text: Best plant I've ever grown, bar none.
text: We had about 50-60 plants this year.
text: Also, definitely top them as they grow in tridents and by topping them, you cause them to bush out a lot more dramatically.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/None/
score: 1
sents: text: Using basil flowers in my fresh tomatoes I'm cooking down to can is Excellent!
text: Strong in flavour
text: but I like that.
text: If you don't dilute it! :-)
text: ~
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/11456/Carole
score: 1
sents: text: Dry basic flowers can be used to make a awesome little potpourri pouch or a small sachet :)
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/14493/Dina
score: 1
sents: text: Basil flowers can be eaten, for instance in soup.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/17027/user17027
score: 1
sents: text: I love putting the flowers along with lavender, lemon balm and mint in some water and once it almost hits boiling point putting it on low then drinking as tea.
text: Super yummy.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/20647/Daleana
score: 1
sents: text: I plant Basil along with my Tomatoes to deter insects.
text: One Basil Plant every fifth Tomato Plant, and it really works quite well.
text: I keep cutting the flowers off until near the end of the Tomato season, and then let them go.
text: I have some African bushes that are three feet tall, and app.
text: three feet in diameter.
text: I usually give most away as either fresh, or I hang them in the shed to dry for people who like to preserve them.
text: We do use some for flavoring, especially when we can Salsa or other Tomato products like juice, soup mix, etc.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/20571/Mike
score: 0
sents: text: I grow Queen Siam Thai Basil and Genovese Basil.
text: I use the flowers in soups and pesto mostly
text: and I don't notice them being bitter or making the leaves bitter once the plants start flowering.
text: The flowers do seem to have a condensed flavor.
text: I do however snip the basil leaves while they are young and smallish since the taste seems cleaner and fresher when small.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/18696/Deirdra Strangio
score: 0

Summary of the answers:
They are edible, so you could use them as a garnish for salads or stonefruit, make basil flower ice cream or put them in a bottle with olive oil or white vinegar.
Basil flowers are edible and you can use them like basil leaves. They are great as a flavouring for ice cream or to top salads or fruit.