I'm not sure what it is but tomatoes and basil make a wonderful combination!
They compliment each others flavors and are often combined in many dishes.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Tomato Basil Garlic Pizza
Simply roll out your favorite pizza dough recipe.
Spread on the tomato sauce.
Top with sliced garlic and chopped basil leaves or make pesto and add sliced tomatoes.
Bake by placing a pizza stone on the lower oven rack (if you have one) or set oven rack to middle position.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Place pizza on middle rack without using a pan or cookie sheet.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until pizza is golden brown.
Lemon Basil Pesto
Ingredients:
3 large cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of unblanched almonds
2 cups basil leaves firmly packed
3 tbsp. chopped fresh lemon herb leaves (lemon thyme,lemon balm, lemon verbena or lemon basil)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
Directions:
Mince garlic in a food processor or blender (I use a Vitamix.) Add almonds and process until coarsely chopped. Add basil, lemon herb, cheese and lemon zest; process until minced. with machine running add olive oil and lemon juice Process until blended.
Now you have a wonderfully healthy meal #medicinal-cooking which contains:
Tomatoes - full of antioxidant lycopene linked to reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Basil - which contains eugenol, citronellol and linalool which lowers inflammation through their enzyme inhibiting properties. This in turn may help lower risk of heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel conditions. Eugenol specific anti inflammatory action in the digestive tract aids in digestion.
Garlic - has the action of being anti-microbial, antibiotic, cardio-protective, hypertensive, anti-carcinogen, reduces blood pressure, anti-coagulant, lowers blood cholesterol levels and lowers blood sugar levels.
Wonderfully beneficial to the Heart or Fire element.
If you don't care for the crust you can make a Tomato Sandwich or combine your tomatoes, basil, feta in a salad and drizzle with olive oil.
Enjoy!