Best Basil Coulis Recipes

SEA BASS WITH TOMATO COULIS, BASIL AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Halve tomatoes lengthwise, and over a strainer set in a bowl, squeeze to remove juice and seeds. Place tomatoes and strained juice in the bowl of a blender along with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the vinegar. Blend to a fine puree.
• Cut tough stems from asparagus, and discard. With a vegetable scraper, peel asparagus, starting about two inches from tips. Rinse and drain. Cook in boiling salted water for about 6 minutes. Drain immediately, and cool in ice water. Remove, and set aside.
• With a rubber spatula, push tomato mixture through a fine sieve, to yield about 2 cups of liquid. Place tomato juice in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Add basil, remove from heat, cover and let stand in a warm place.
• Cut three 1/4-inch slices from the flower end of each asparagus. Place a tablespoon of butter in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus tips and the rest of the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper. Cook briefly or until just done. Remove asparagus from pan, and keep warm.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over high heat. Season fish well, and place in pan, skin side down, cooking for about 1 1/2 minutes a side, or until skin is nicely browned. Flip gently, cover, and remove from heat. Fish will continue to cook.
• To serve, remove basil from tomato sauce. Distribute sauce evenly over four warm plates. Place fish, skin side up, over sauce. To arrange asparagus on each plate, distribute small pieces around edge; place two large asparagus pieces alongside fish and lay two more long pieces over them in a criss-cross pattern.

TOMATO COULIS WITH BASIL (STEWED TOMATOES WITH BASIL)

Steps:

• Drop tomatoes into boiling water for 12 seconds to loosen skin. Peel tomatoes with a paring knife, cut them in half and squeeze to extract seeds. Chop tomatoes coarsely. There should be about 2 cups.
• Heat the butter in a small saucepan. Add shallots, cook briefly and add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Add the basil and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Serve immediately with the fish.

CORN AND BASIL EGG ROULADE WITH YELLOW TOMATO COULIS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 15 1/2- by 11- by 1-inch jelly-roll pan and line bottom and sides with parchment paper. Evenly butter parchment paper.
• Chop enough scallions to measure 3/4 cup. Chop basil. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, heavy cream, and salt until combined well. Pour custard into jelly-roll pan and bake in middle of oven 8 minutes. Rotate jelly-roll pan and continue to bake custard until set, 8 to 10 minutes more.
• While custard is baking, in a heavy skillet heat butter over moderately low heat and cook scallions, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Cut cream cheese into small pieces and add to scallions with corn and salt and pepper to taste. Cook mixture, stirring, until corn is heated through and cream cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Spread corn mixture evenly on top of hot egg sheet, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle basil over corn mixture. With a long side facing you and using parchment as an aid, roll up egg sheet jelly-roll fashion and carefully transfer to a platter.
• Carefully cut roulade into 16 slices (each about 3/4 inch thick) and serve warm or at room temperature with yellow tomato coulis and Black Forest ham slices.

ASPARAGUS WITH TOMATO BASIL COULIS

Steps:

• In a skillet, saute the shallots and garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for about two minutes or so.
• Quarter 3 of the tomatoes and add to the saute pan along with the juice, parsley and basil.
• Season to taste and cook for about five minutes or until heated through.
• Whirl in food processor or blender.
• Pour wine into saute pan and stir over medium heat to deglaze.
• Add this liquid to the blender and whirl.
• Add the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil slowly and process for two minutes.
• In a large saute pan, saute the asparagus in butter until tender crisp.
• To serve, cover the bottom of four salad plates with pureed mixture; arrange five asparagus in a fan shape over the top.
• Mince the remaining tomatoes and arrange equal portions at the base of the asparagus.
• Garnish as desired with chives, scallions and basil leaves.

BASIL COULIS

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. Process in short pulses until smooth. Taste and add a little more sugar if desired, but the coulis shouldn't be too sweet. Pour into an airtight container and chill for up to a day, or freeze.