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1 frying chicken, about 4 ½ pounds, cut into 8 pieces with the backbone

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, halved and sliced from root end to top

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

One (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained of half the liquid

Three 3-inch cinnamon sticks, preferably “true” cinnamon

3 star anise pods

1 ½ cups torn  leaves cinnamon basil, or sweet basil,  gently  packed

Season all sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid.  When the pan is hot, put the chicken pieces in the pan, skin side down, and cook uncovered until the skin turns deep golden brown, at least 6 to 8 minutes.  Turn the chicken and cook another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side.  Take the chicken out of the pan and pile it on a platter.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the pan.  Stir them around for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they soften and begin to brown.  Add the tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.  Put the chicken back in the pan.  When the tomatoes come to a simmer, cover the pan, turn the heat to very low, and cook for about 50 minutes, or until there is little resistance when you pierce a thigh with the tip of a paring knife.  If the sauce seems watery, turn the heat to high and boil it uncovered until it thickens.  Scatter in the basil as you toss the chicken in the sauce with tongs.  Serve right away. 

Yield:  4 servings

Adapted from The Herbal Kitchen by Jerry Traunfeld

Linda

CAKE 

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon coarse salt

2 tablespoons (packed) minced cinnamon basil or sweet basil leaves

1 ¼ cups vegetable oil, preferably canola oil

1 ¾ cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 ½ cups unpeeled, coarsely chopped cooking apples, such as Granny Smiths

GLAZE 

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease a 10-inch removable-bottom tube pan.

2.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk in basil leaves until thoroughly dispersed in the flour; set aside.  In a large bowl, beat together oil and sugar on low speed.  On medium speed, add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla and increase speed to high; beat for 30 seconds.  On low speed, add flour mixture and beat just until blended.   Mixture is very dense.

3.  Fold in apples with a spatula; spread batter in prepared pan.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

4.  Just before cake is done, make glaze:  Over medium heat, melt the butter in a small saucepan and whisk in both sugars, cream, and vanilla.  Boil glaze for 1 minute.

5.  When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately pour the hot glaze over.  Let cake cool completely on a rack before removing from pan.  To remove from pan, run a knife around the edge to release it, then run a thin knife between cake and pan bottom; invert to release and invert again to place on platter, so glaze side is up.

Yield:  12 to 16 servings

This recipe is from “Desserts from an Herb Garden” by Sharon Kebschull Barrett.

Linda

Cinnamon basil is a cultivar of Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil).  It contains cinnamate, the same chemical that gives cinnamon its flavor, and has the strongest scent of cinnamon.

Cinnamon basil has reddish stems, lavender spiked flowers and small- to medium-sized serrated green leaves.  The leaves have a cinnamon-like taste and odor.  It can grow up to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide.  Growing it in the garden may deter other pests that don’t like the smell of it.

If you’ve never grown or cooked with cinnamon basil, the following recipes might change your mind.  Intensely  fragrant, it can be used for baking, sauces, teas and as a “finisher” for many dishes.

Go ahead and give it a try.  The Cinnamon Basil Chicken recipe is so divinely aromatic while cooking  you might feel as though you’ve been transported to some foreign land – maybe the streets of Morocco or the Spice Markets of Istanbul.    You might encounter flavors you’ve never experienced before.   Toss it in your sliced summer peaches and red onion salad with  honey lemon vinaigrette for a real burst of seasonal flavor.  And, don’t forget to satisfy your sweet tooth with the wonderfully moist Apple-Basil Cake.   Whether sweet or savory, this delightful herb gets high marks for satisfying the senses!   

Linda