Did You Know...Storing Fresh Basil

It happens to all of us, we buy very expensive fresh basil from store for one recipe.  We need to store the rest of it somehow so it won't go bad.  I ran across this tip in the July/August 2006 issue of Cook's Illustrated.

They tested many different methods of storage.  Many produced wilted or blackened leaves that needed to be discarded.  The main thing to remember is DO NOT RINSE the basil before storage.  Rinse leaves only as you need them.

The one method the tester's found worked was wrap all remaining basil in a damp (not very wet) paper towel and store in a zip-top bag, unsealed.  Store the bag in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator.  This will keep the basil fresh looking for up to one week.