Every summer, I make this beautiful raspberry-colored opal basil vinegar with herbs from the garden. It’s great as a marinade for flank steak or simply mixed with olive oil for salad dressing. If you like growing herbs, opal basil is one you’ll want to have on hand.
What is opal basil?
Opal basil is an herb I grow from seed every year. It’s easy to grow and not something you usually find at the store.
The leaves are a deep purple—almost black—with an occasional touch of green. The flavor is similar to common green basil, but the color is what makes it stand out, especially when you use it to make herbal vinegar.
How to make opal basil vinegar
The night before I make the vinegar, I hose off all the herb plants I’ll be using the next morning. This helps make sure everything is clean, but it’s important that the herbs are completely dry before you use them.
Any moisture can make the finished vinegar cloudy.
I also wash a large glass jar in the dishwasher. I use gallon-size jars that once held maraschino cherries from a restaurant, but any large glass jar will work.
Gather the herbs
The next morning, I gather the herbs before the heat of the day:
- Opal basil
- Oregano
- Sage
- Parsley
If I have thyme or rosemary growing, I add a little of those as well.
I loosely fill the jar with generous amounts of the herbs, then add a small handful of black peppercorns.
Next, I pour in white vinegar (make sure it’s 5% acidity, not cleaning vinegar), filling the jar so the herbs are completely covered.
If your jar has a metal lid, place a doubled piece of waxed paper between the jar and the lid before sealing it. Vinegar and metal don’t mix well.
Steep the herbs
Set the jar in a sunny spot for about two weeks. The warmth helps the vinegar draw out the flavor and color from the herbs.
Strain and bottle
A few days before I plan to bottle the vinegar, I run my bottles through the dishwasher. As before, they need to be completely dry.
To strain the vinegar, line a funnel with a few layers of cheesecloth and pour the mixture into your bottles.
For a decorative touch, I like to slide a long sprig of sage into each bottle. A wooden chopstick helps guide it into place.
If you’re using corks, you can dip them in melted wax to seal the bottles, but it’s not necessary.
Opal basil vinegar also makes a nice homemade gift, so it’s worth saving a few interesting bottles throughout the year.
Click on the photo to read more:
