Perfectly Flat Fried Basil Garnish

This is a super simply method of frying herbs to keep them perfectly flat and completely in tact using equipment you have at home. For these flat fried herbs, I used basil but you can use tons of other herbs like parsley, sage, even baby kale. They are a great garnish for all sorts of dishes that not only add colour and interest but also crunch which is a great way of adding texture. I'm not one for adding something to a plate that you can't eat and enjoy so these are really one of those garnishes that doubles as an important textural and flavour element of a plate. All you need is some oil, herbs and a microwave and you can make these at home or at the restaurant.
When traditionally frying herbs they tend to curl under and can often break apart in the fryer which can be quite intense for such delicate leaves. This is a great way to make sure that doesn't happen and will give you perfectly flat, whole leaves every time. To store these simply place them in an airtight container at room temperature and store the leaves flat between two pieces of absorbent paper towel. This will continue to help absorb any extra oil that is left in the basil, sage or kale and make sure that the leaves don't go soggy before you use them.

Note: I learned how to make these from one of my old culinary teachers but the technique originally comes from Chef Heston Blumenthal of The Fat Duck. While recipes and techniques are meant to be shared and enjoyed by everyone with recipes such as these that are so original and unique I always try to give credit where credit is due.


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