Currabinny Cooks: Three recipes with basil - 'the king of herbs'

A pesto, a cake and a dessert

Basil and lemon cake is sure to be a family favourite. Photo: Bríd O'Donovan.

Basil is often people's favourite herb with many growing it in little pots on their windowsills. Indeed, it has long been considered the “King of the Herbs” – not only because of its popularity but also because the name “basileus” literally means “king” in Greek. Basil is native to parts of Asia and Africa and is thought to have been brought to ancient Greece by Alexander the Great from India. Basil has a long history of cultivation around the world and has been used as a culinary herb, aromatic herb, and ornamental herb for centuries. There are many, vastly different, religious legends and symbols associated with basil. In India, Hindus once buried holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) leaves with their dead to help them get into heaven. It was once thought in Italy if a man accepted a sprig of sweet basil from a woman, he would fall in love with her. In the 1600s, the English hung basil in doorways to ward off unwanted insects and other pests like evil spirits.

Although not native to the Mediterranean, basil is of course most associated with Italy and Italian cooking. The most common variety of basil we use and grow is ‘Genovese’ or sweet basil. Italians say that Basil helps you have a restful “abbiocco” (after-lunch nap). We have now started making the excuse to eat basil for all our lunches just so we can avail of a delicious abbiocco afterwards. A summery lunch of ripe tomatoes with beautifully aromatic basil leaves followed by a restorative snooze - that has to be the definition of self-love.