Ratatouille with Cinnamon Basil
Ingredients: 4 small eggplants, 6 T lemon juice, 1
medium onion (sliced), 1 clove garlic, 1⁄4 cup olive oil, 1 medium zucchini (coarsely chopped), 3 T fresh
cinnamon basil (chopped), 5 plum tomatoes, 1 red pepper (chopped) 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley (chopped).

Directions: Cut a 1/2" slice along length of each eggplant. If using round variety, remove about one
inch of the top. Carefully scoop out flesh, leaving 1/2" thick walls. Chop eggplant flesh, place in a
medium sized bowl, and toss with 1.5 T lemon juice. Set aside. Using another tablespoon of lemon juice,
brush inside of each eggplant shell. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic in oil. Add
chopped eggplants, zucchini and basil. Cook, stirring, until eggplants are tender. Add tomatoes
and peppers to mixture; cook for 11 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and remaining
lemon juice. Divide ratatouille among eggplant shells. Cool and serve at room temperature.

Poached Salmon with Tomatoes and Purple Basil
Ingredients: 2 each salmon filets, 4 oz. butter (unsalted), 1 1/2 cups tomatoes (chopped), 1 cup stock and 1 1/2 cups basil (chopped).

Directions: REmove the skin from the filets. In a saute' pan, melt 1 ounce of butter, and add the fish, Cover the fish with fish stock and adjust the seasoning. Cover with buttered parchment paper, (buttered side down) then bring to a boil and simmer for about 2 minutes. Turn the fish and cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, remove the parchment paper, and let the pan sit for a minute. Remove the fish from the pan and drain on a napkin. Pass the fish stock through a strainer to another saute' pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce by one-third. Add the tomatoes and basil to the reduced liquid, heat through, and then ad 3 ounces of butter, salt and pepper, and whisk. Place the fish on a serving plate, spoon the sauce over the fish, and garnish with basil leaves.

Cinnamon Basil, Chicken and Nut Spread
Ingredients: 1/4 c. sweet butter (softened), 1 teaspoon honey, 1/3 c. very finely chopped cooked chicken, 4 Tablespoons washed, dried and finely chopped cinnamon basil leaves, 3 Tablespoons almonds (very finely chopped) and salt to taste.

Directions: Blend softened butter and honey until smooth. Stir in chicken, cinnamon basil and almonds, salt to taste. Serve on very thin bread with crusts removed.

Lemon Basil Herbed Rice
Ingredients: 2 T butter, 3 T finely chopped onions, 1 cup uncooked rice, 1/4 cup chopped lemon basil, 1 small bay leaf, 1 T chopped parsley, several drops of Tabasco, 2 1/2 cups chicken stock, salt and white pepper to taste.

Directions: Preheat oven to 400¾. Melt the butter in and oven proof saucepan. Add the onion and cook until it is softened. Add the rice and cook, stirring over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add lemon basil, the bay leaf, parsley, Tabasco and stock. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Bake 25-30 minutes or until rice is tender. Add salt and white pepper to taste. With a fork, fluff rice and serve. Serves 6-8.

Fresh Fruits With Lemon Basil Dressing
Ingredients: Grapefruit sections, Orange sections, Strawberries, Kiwis, peeled and sliced, Avocado (peeled and sliced). For dressing 2 tablespoons fresh lemon basil leaves (chopped). Juice of 1/2 orange, Juice of 1/2 lemon, Juice of 1/2 lime, 1 cup yogurt or sour cream, 1 - 2 oz. honey.

Directions: Prepare fruits, arrange on single plates or a platter. Refrigerate. For dressing, in a blender or food processor, process the lemon basil leaves with the citrus juices until pureed. Add yogurt or sour cream and honey. Taste, correct with more citrus juice and/or honey. Spoon over fruits and serve.

Basil Butter
Ingredients: 4 cloves garlic, 15 leaves fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 cup butter.

Directions: Place garlic, basil, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the garlic is in small bits. Add the butter, and process just to mix together. Spoon into container, and refrigerate until firm.

Sunflower Seed Pesto
Ingredients: 4 cup coarsely chopped fresh large leaf or purple basil leaves, 1 cup unshelled raw sunflower seeds 2/3 cup olive oil, 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, 2 tbsp sweet butter (softened), 2 cloves garlic (crushed).
Directions: In a blender in batches or in a food processor puree the basil with the sunflower seeds, the oil, the Parmesan, the butter, the garlic, and salt to taste. Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and lay plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent discoloration. The pesto keeps, covered and chilled, for 2 weeks. Makes 1-1/2 cups.

To use the pesto: For every pound of dried pasta cooking in a pot of boiling salted water, stir together in a heated serving bowl 3/4 cup pesto and 2/3 cup hot pasta cooking water. When the pasta is al dente, drain it in a colander, add it to the pesto mixture, and toss the mixture with lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Yield: 5 servings