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Herbs
Next week we’re going to start harvesting the Sugar Snap Peas. I know, it’s not quite as exciting as riding Space Mountain, but try to understand what this means. Spring time salads! Fresh stir fry! Grandma’s baked and crunchy casseroles! Down at Kiki Town, we’re blessed to have a plethora of veggies available year round, unlike many other places in the US that can’t even grow flowers in the winter, BUT as you know, even we get a little stir crazy with all these winter greens and herbs. I found this killer recipe on Epicurious and my mouth started watering this morning because everything it calls for is literally sitting in the field waiting to be plucked, washed, meticulously prepared and devoured. Check it out!
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
12 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, strings removed
2 cups thinly sliced radishes (about 1 large bunch)
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon dill seeds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
PREPARATION:
This side dish would pair beautifully with roast lamb or salmon (if you’re into that). To remove strings from fresh peas, just snap off the stem end and pull string lengthwise down each pod. Melt butter with oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add sugar snap peas and radishes; sauté until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add orange juice and dill seeds; stir 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped dill.
Serve and smile!
Herbs • Dill • Root Vegetables • Radish • Peas • (1) Comments • Permalink
One popular use of chives is in the French “fines herbes,” a mixture of parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil. This and other herbal mixtures are served cold or on top of hot dishes, but not cooked.
I love to use chives in mashed potatoes or sauces, or as a garnish.
In some cases, scallions can be substituted for chives, but the flavor will be less mild, more of an onion taste, and the texture won’t be quite the same as when using the slender, hollow stemmed herb.
Use chives fresh, or store in a cool, dark place. Chives can quickly lose their freshness if exposed to heat and light.
I like to add thyme to most meals (the sprigs in salads, soups and chowders give a potent green taste). It is also said to have a slight aftertaste somewhat like cloves. Thyme also goes well with most meats if added toward the end of cooking, and is another incredible tea infusion that has tons of medicinal benefits like soothing sore throats or respiratory issues.
Here’s a yummy recipe for a sweet and savory jelly that will make your lips and your taste buds smile. You probably wouldn’t normally think of adding an herb to a jelly, but thyme and apples meld into an incredibly flavorful result. I like it on a good toasted whole wheat bagel or spread as a chutney with a pasta or meat dish. Sometimes I’ve been known to eat it straight from the spoon…
Ingredients:
2 cups apple cider
3-1/2 cups raw organic sugar
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 pouch (3 ounces) liquid fruit pectin (optional- I think Pectin gives its a weird aftertaste, but it also really helps make that jelly consistency, so its your call. I say try with it and then go without on the next round to compare.
Preparation:
Combine the apple cider, sugar, and thyme in a 4 quart microwave-safe bowl, and stir well. Cook, uncovered, at full power (650 to 700 watts) for 10 minutes. Stir, return to the microwave, and cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has reached a full rolling boil, about 5 more minutes . Stir the pectin into the mixture, return it to the microwave, and cook for 1-1/2 minutes. Skim any foam off the surface, and pack the jelly into sterilized jars according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Yield: 1 quart
Source: The New Basics Cookbook
As far as lunch goes, egg salad sandwiches will always hold a high place on the threshold of goodness. This recipe includes tarragon and vinegar, which gives it a tang that you can’t resist! I like to mix it up and add cucumbers and sesame seeds as well, but make it however YOU like it, and share with your friends!
For egg salad:
8 large eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon, or to taste
2 teaspoons tarragon vinegar or white-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
For sandwiches:
Mayonnaise for spreading on bread (optional)
12 slices seedless rye bread or 6 kaiser rolls
3 cups tender pea shoots (3 oz) or shredded lettuce
Source: Epicurious.com
Sage Tea Recipe (Relives Cold, Sore Throats, and Cold Sores, Good for Tummy Aches too)
1 ounce sage leaves
3/4 ounce fennel seeds
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 1/2 teaspoon of this mixture and steep. Use as a gargle for flu and inflamed throat. Drink as a tea for any infections of the mouth and throat. The fennel gives the tea a sweet, mile, licorice-like flavor and helps digestion.
Ingredients:
3/4 c olive oil .
1 strip lemon peel (about a 1-inch x 1/2-inch strip) .
1/4 c lemon juice .
1 garlic clove, peeled .
1 sprig rosemary
Directions:
Crush the rosemary and garlic on the cutting board, mincing and crushing
Put the rosemary, garlic, & lemon peel in a clean bottle or jar with a tight fitting lid.
Add the oil & the lemon juice & cap tightly.
Shake well- Drizzle over any salad or pasta or bread and enjoy 
Did you know that parsley can help get rid of nasty garlic breath?
It contains certain enzymes that aid in kidney and bladder detoxification, as well as
reducing inflammation and bacterial growth? There are SO many health benefits to this little plant,
and normally we just use it as a simple garnish.
Do some research and find out new ways to incorporate parsley into your diet. Your body will appreciate it.
Try this great salad recipe:
Ingredients:
•1 bunch fresh parsley
•3 green onions
•1-2 medium fresh tomatoes
•Juice from 1 large fresh lemon
•2-3 Tbsp. cold pressed olive oil, to taste.
•Salt, to taste
•Pepper, freshly ground, to taste
•1 cup dried wheat berries
•Water, to cover
Directions:
Wheat Berries
1.Rinse the wheat berries under cool water and remove any stones/debris.
2.Place in a medium-sized pot and cover with water so that the water is about 1 inch above the wheat berries.
3.Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Cook, covered, for about 1 hour.
4.Drain excess water before adding to salad.
Salad
1.While the wheat berries are cooking, rinse the parsley, onions, tomato and lemon under cold water.
2.Using a sharp knife or food chopper/processor, chop the parsley leaves finely. Add to a large bowl.
3.Mince the green onion and tomato and add to the bowl.
4.Squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl, and drizzle the olive oil over top. Stir well.
5.Season with salt and a generous amount of black pepper, to taste.
6.When the wheat berries finish cooking (berries will be plump and soft), drain excess water. Let the berries cool slightly, then add them to the bowl. Stir all ingredients together. Chill to help the parsley soften and the flavoured meld. Serve cold.
Parsley Salad Variations:
•Add finely chopped cucumber.
•Add finely chopped mint (for traditional tabouli).
•Add sliced or chopped olives.
•Add 2 cloves minced garlic.
•Use minced cooking onion or red onion instead of the green onion.
•Top with sunflower seeds to serve.
•Substitute bulgar wheat or cooked quinoa for wheat berries.
Serving Suggestions for Parsley Salad (Tabouli)
•Roll up in fresh lettuce leaves and serve on a platter.
•Top crackers with hummus and add a spoonful of tabouli.
•Stuff into a pita with chickpeas.
•Eat as a side salad.
•Bring to a potluck.
Marjoram is one of those overlooked herbs that really has some incredible health benefits when used and targeted correctly. As tea, essential oil, or cooking herb, marjoram is lovely. It can help increase appetite and aid in various digestion processes. Overall, it can relax the nervous and muscle systems, allowing those who suffer from insomnia or poor circulation to experience some relief. When used as a tea, Marjoram can significantly relieve sinus congestion or other respiratory ailments.
Here’s a basic tea formula to try out:
The tea is prepared by boiling one teaspoon of marjoram powder in a cup of water for 15 minutes. In an interval of two hours the consumption of two to four cups of marjoram infusion is recommended.
In cooking, fresh Marjoram leaves can be added to salads or chopped and added to roast meat sandwiches, herb butter and egg dishes for an incredibly unique, aromatic flavor.
Marjoram is used in poultry stuffing and soups. It an excellent addition to pot roast, veal and liver.
When adding to cooked meals, add near the end of the cooking period so it doesn’t get too cooked down…
Everybody loves cookies. Whether your mom or lover or best friend makes them, or you have some time to get creative and indulge in the kitchen- these are for you! Honey and Lavender are incredible ingredients to use- they’re so tasty and they do wonderful things for your body…
Honey Lavender Shortbread
Source: http://www.Seriouseats.com
- makes 30 cookies -
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon dried or fresh lavender
6 ounces unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
Procedure
1. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and lavender in a medium bowl.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, honey, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
3. Spoon dough out onto a large rectangle of parchment paper and roll in the paper to form a log. Transfer dough to refrigerator and chill until firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the log of dough into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices on sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart, and bake 8 minutes, or until light golden brown.
It’s soon going to be cucumber season, which automatically makes our mouths crave for dill pickles. Mmmmm. Savor that sensation.
Try your skill at pickling- it’s really becoming a lost art and I think for how simple and sustainable it is, everyone should maintain the practice.
Ingredients:
5 3-4 inch pickling cucumbers
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 Tablespoons salt
1 Tablespoon pickling spices*
1 teaspoon dill seeds (or 1 head of dill weed)
1/2 cup vinegar (we used mostly white with 2 Tablespoons malt added)
1 large clove garlic
*Pickling spices include things like
mixed black and yellow mustard seeds
coriander seeds
dill seeds
carroway seeds
whole cloves
black peppercorns
cumin seeds
fennel seeds
bay leaves, crushed
(You don’t have to include all of these but definitely mix a bunch in)
Procedure:
Boil a kettle of water. Fill a 2 cup glass measuring cup and use the rest to sterilize a glass wide mouth one quart jar and lid (reusing a pickle jar should work or the widest shortest quart jar you can find.)
Make brine by adding the salt and garlic to the measuring cup. Let that cool to handling temperature. Then thoroughly scrub and trim the ends off of the cucumbers. Drain the jar and lay it on its side to stack in the cukes. Stand the jar up and sprinkle in the spices and vinegar. Pour in brine to fill the jar. If the jar is not full and the pickles are not floating, add just enough boiled water until they float.
It’s important to keep them fully submerged but they want to float, so try to find a small ramekin or something to weight them down with. We ended up using a small plastic funnel which pushed them all under but stuck out of the top of the jar. We then covered the funnel with a small plate. Otherwise, you will need to turn the top pickles daily to ensure they get fully brined.
Leave the jar in a warm place to begin fermenting. You will see small bubbles forming within 24 hours. This is a natural part of the process, and this ratio of salt and vinegar prevents nasties from growing. We didn’t get lots of bubbling, and after just 4-5 days days the bubbling subsided. At this point, some of the pickles sank to the bottom of the jar, but otherwise seemed normal. Move the pickles to the fridge and wait a week to eat for the best flavor. We were so excited, we ate them all within a week, and even then they kept getting saltier. Next time, we will move them to another jar with a lighter brine (1 teaspoon salt ).
Okay. These aren’t for everyone, but I thought it would be nice to include some different types of dishes and foods that you can really use herbs to make even more splendor-ful than normal. Once you taste these tomato & basil infused melt in your mouth muffins, you’ll be hooked!
Sun-dried Tomato Cottage Cheese Muffin Recipe
You can use the flour of your choice in this recipe. The original recipe calls for soy flour (great for people looking for a gluten-free option), I use white whole wheat flour - unbleached all-purpose flour will work as well. To grind the almonds I gave them a whirl in my food processor. You are looking for a flour-like consistency - be sure to stop short of turning them into an almond paste.
Ingredients:
1 cup plain cottage cheese (low-fat is fine)
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 cup flour (see headnotes)
1 cup almonds, very finely ground
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), finely chopped
1/4 cup basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup water
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a muffin pan with medium-sized paper baking cups, you’ll need nine of them.
Put the cottage cheese into a bowl with all but 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, water, and eggs, and season with salt, then mix all together.
Spoon the mixture into the muffing cups 3/4 full, scatter with the remaining Parmesan, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until set, risen, and golden brown. Serve as hot or at room temperature.
Makes 9 muffins.
Herbs are much more pungent fresh than dried. They’re great thrown into salads or on top of roasted veggies with a little olive oil. Of course they are an essential ingredient of many recipes.
If you become overwhelmed by your herbs and they are starting to wilt, you can dry them by putting them in the oven on a cookie sheet. They’ll dry out overnight and then you can store them for future uses.
If you have other uses for herbs, post them below under the comments link.
Basil can be bountiful so it’s good to have a few ideas for it. Of course there is the indispensable pesto (basic ingredients include garlic, basil, olive oil and - if you can get them - pine nuts). Here’s a pesto recipe from the food network that includes walnuts. If you find yourself with a plethora of basil, make pesto and freeze it for future use.
A great summertime sandwich is fresh basil, tomato and buffalo mozzarella on some toasted bread.
If you have other basil recipes, post them below in the comments section.
Mint is a great summertime herb - very cooling. One summer salad that will dazzle your picnic friends, chop up watermelon and add feta and mint. A lot more gourmet than “fruit salad.”
Another one of my favorite mint recipes is this quick soba noodle dish from Epicurious.
Also, my mom loves to use it in Mojitos. Happy Hour!
Here is the recipe she uses:
Mojitos
Ingredients
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 2 springs fresh mint
* Juice of one lime
* 2 ounces light rum
* Club soda
* Ice cubes
Directions
Place sugar and mint in a glass. With a wooden spoon, mash the mint leaves and sugar together. Add the remaining ingredients, mix, and serve.
Serves one
I might also add that fresh mint makes delicious mint tea. Just scatter mint leaves in the bottom of a mug, give them a quick crush with a spoon, and add very hot water. It couldn’t be easier, and mint tea is wonderful for your digestion.
To add your favorite mint recipe, click on the comments below and post a new recipe.