Searching for the Pearfect spice? The Barefoot Baker got a box of great pears a week ago, & the coffee cakes are fine with cloves, nutmeg, mixed English spice or a little cinnamon. A Spartan lunch of fresh pears& saltines is quite satisfying with no spice. But the perfect aromatic was discovered today in an unlikely tome: Farm Journal’s Complete Pie Cookbook, Edited by Nell B. Nichols, Field Food Editor, with the assistance of the Food Staff of Farm Journal; Photography supervised by Al J. Reagan, Art Director of The Farmer’s Wife. Doubleday & Co., Inc. 1965. Unlikely, because anise seed is not a typically American spice—is it?
We grew up with the Farm Journal, a monthly magazine, but never heard of The Farmer’s Wife. Maybe because the farmer’s wife in our house never subscribed to a lady’s magazine, but rather she took US News.
This book is hands down the Authority on pies savory and sweet, simple and special. The chapter “Pioneer Pies—Why Were They Round?” begins with “The history of pies fascinates most women.” That’s news to us! It’s typical of the text in this little book that often repeats the mid 20th Century notion “Remember that pies please men.” It's best to skip this drivel and get to the recipes.
It is more interesting to us that a pie in older England was baked in a coffin, the word for the crust. Or that aniseseed is only one of the aromatics in Itallyon Bisketts, used alongside ambergrese and muske...! These tidbits are more fascinating to us—from the recipes of Gulielma Maria Springett, the first wife of Wm Penn, who never left England. Guli Penn (1644-1694).
Until our further researches into the different sorts of torts, tarts, tortes and tortas, we enter here a delicious pie.
Pear Anise Pie
Serve with thin slices of Parmesan cheese.
Pastry for 2-crust pie
5 cups sliced peeled pears
2/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1+1/2 teaspoons whole anise seed
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Combine pears, sugar, cornstarch, anise seed and lemon peel. Mix gently. Place in pastry-lined 9” pie pan.
Sprinkle pie filling with 1+1/2 teaspoons lemon juice. Dot with butter. Add top crust and flute edges (of the coffin!); cut vents.
Bake in hot oven (400F) until pears are tender and crust is lightly browned, about 40 minutes.
While pie is hot, brush with glaze made by mixing powdered sugar with enough lemon juice for spreading consistency (about 2+1/2 teaspoons). Cool.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Better Bun Bottoms
Less sticky. More flavor. “And gone-to-heaven” cinnamon sticky buns.
In the bottom of a 9” x 13” pan:
2 tablespoons liquid coffee
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
or
In the bottom of an 11" x 17" pan:
1/4 cup liquid coffee
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Make a sweet egg-rich dough with some sourdough starter, plus lots of yeast. (We use the old Betty Crocker recipe using about 5 cups of flour. This has 2 tablespoons yeast, & we add a cup of starter.)
Roll up sweet roll dough with soft butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon; slice very thin, about 1/2 inch wide. Lay the rolls in the pans of that muddy looking goo. Rise. Bake as usual. Turn out upside down.
Note: Flavor goes a step farther if you use Vietnamese Extra Fancy Cinnamon. Yum yum.
In the bottom of a 9” x 13” pan:
2 tablespoons liquid coffee
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
or
In the bottom of an 11" x 17" pan:
1/4 cup liquid coffee
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Make a sweet egg-rich dough with some sourdough starter, plus lots of yeast. (We use the old Betty Crocker recipe using about 5 cups of flour. This has 2 tablespoons yeast, & we add a cup of starter.)
Roll up sweet roll dough with soft butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon; slice very thin, about 1/2 inch wide. Lay the rolls in the pans of that muddy looking goo. Rise. Bake as usual. Turn out upside down.
Note: Flavor goes a step farther if you use Vietnamese Extra Fancy Cinnamon. Yum yum.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Yeast Cookies. An Exception
The Barefoot Baker is dedicated to discovering new flavors. Don’t want to repeat—that’s a part of the policy for avoiding embarrassing memory lapses: never say the same thing twice, never tell the same story, in case you already related it. To anybody. Ever.
But we’ve discovered something new in an old southern recipe book. New to us, and it is yummy.
Yeast Cookie Butterfingers
1 pound butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cake (or one tablespoon dry) yeast
2 eggs, separated
4 cups sifted flour
Choice of topping: 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts, or chocolate shots, or toasted coconut
Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Add with egg yolks to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Gradually beat in the flour. Chill the dough.
Roll about one tablespoonful of dough into a finger shape. Dip in well-beaten egg whites, and roll in the topping of your choice. (Roll the cookie.)
Bake on a greased (or silpat lined) baking sheet at 3750 about 10 minutes.
Our flour of choice for this old southern cookie is White Lily, but any all-purpose will work; and topping of choice is toasted coconut. (Always toast more coconut than you will need, because it will find its way to a taste test.) If your “finger shapes” look more like little turdlets, don’t worry, they will spread a bit in the oven and emerge oval.
But we’ve discovered something new in an old southern recipe book. New to us, and it is yummy.
Yeast Cookie Butterfingers
1 pound butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cake (or one tablespoon dry) yeast
2 eggs, separated
4 cups sifted flour
Choice of topping: 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts, or chocolate shots, or toasted coconut
Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Add with egg yolks to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Gradually beat in the flour. Chill the dough.
Roll about one tablespoonful of dough into a finger shape. Dip in well-beaten egg whites, and roll in the topping of your choice. (Roll the cookie.)
Bake on a greased (or silpat lined) baking sheet at 3750 about 10 minutes.
Our flour of choice for this old southern cookie is White Lily, but any all-purpose will work; and topping of choice is toasted coconut. (Always toast more coconut than you will need, because it will find its way to a taste test.) If your “finger shapes” look more like little turdlets, don’t worry, they will spread a bit in the oven and emerge oval.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
What? New Wheat? Why?
Dateline: the Twenty-First Century
The newest whole wheat flour from the American prairie looks more sophisticated than the old dark brown stuff—it is a lovely golden color. A couple of Hard White Wheat varieties are gaining ground (or fields) because of an initiative to produce better quality flours. I’m testing the whole wheat flour from Montana. Mixed with white bread flour made from hard red wheat, it makes a chewy hearth loaf that is prettier (golden) than the loaf I used to bake with the same bread flour and old fashioned whole wheat flour (brown).
The U.S. produces six classes of wheat: Hard Red Winter, Hard Red Spring, Soft Red Winter, Durum, Soft White, and Hard White. The newest class of U.S. wheat, Hard White receives enthusiastic reviews when used for Asian noodles, whole wheat or high extraction applications, pan breads and flat breads.
Here’s my first test of Hard White in crackers.
Graham Crackers
These are not too sweet, and go great with cheese, peanut butter, marshmallows,
or just as is with cold milk or hot tea.
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups whole wheat (hard white) flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
In a mixer, beat together butter, honey, brown sugar and vanilla until fluffy. In another bowl, stir together flour, wheat germ, salt and baking powder. With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with 3/4 cup water. Blend well after each addition. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
Divide dough in half. Wrap one half & keep it refrigerated. On a lightly floured surface, pat out one portion into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Place it onto a lightly greased baking sheet that has no lip on at least 2 sides. You will be rolling out the dough very thinly, directly on this sheet, and you don’t want to run into sides with the rolling pin! My pan has a lip on only one side.
Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to an even 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares. If you have a pastry wheel, that would look nice, but I just use a bench scraper, with a straight down motion so the pan doesn’t get scratched and the dough doesn’t pull. Then prick each square with a fork 3 or 4 times. Can’t show a photo here, but this can be quite attractive: 4 stabs in an X shape, or make your initial—get
points with a personalized graham cracker!
Bake at 3250 until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. (If the crackers on the outer edge brown more quickly than those in the center, remove them early!) Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough on a cooled baking sheet. Store airtight.
Makes about 40.
The newest whole wheat flour from the American prairie looks more sophisticated than the old dark brown stuff—it is a lovely golden color. A couple of Hard White Wheat varieties are gaining ground (or fields) because of an initiative to produce better quality flours. I’m testing the whole wheat flour from Montana. Mixed with white bread flour made from hard red wheat, it makes a chewy hearth loaf that is prettier (golden) than the loaf I used to bake with the same bread flour and old fashioned whole wheat flour (brown).
The U.S. produces six classes of wheat: Hard Red Winter, Hard Red Spring, Soft Red Winter, Durum, Soft White, and Hard White. The newest class of U.S. wheat, Hard White receives enthusiastic reviews when used for Asian noodles, whole wheat or high extraction applications, pan breads and flat breads.
Here’s my first test of Hard White in crackers.
Graham Crackers
These are not too sweet, and go great with cheese, peanut butter, marshmallows,
or just as is with cold milk or hot tea.
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups whole wheat (hard white) flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
In a mixer, beat together butter, honey, brown sugar and vanilla until fluffy. In another bowl, stir together flour, wheat germ, salt and baking powder. With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with 3/4 cup water. Blend well after each addition. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
Divide dough in half. Wrap one half & keep it refrigerated. On a lightly floured surface, pat out one portion into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Place it onto a lightly greased baking sheet that has no lip on at least 2 sides. You will be rolling out the dough very thinly, directly on this sheet, and you don’t want to run into sides with the rolling pin! My pan has a lip on only one side.
Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to an even 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares. If you have a pastry wheel, that would look nice, but I just use a bench scraper, with a straight down motion so the pan doesn’t get scratched and the dough doesn’t pull. Then prick each square with a fork 3 or 4 times. Can’t show a photo here, but this can be quite attractive: 4 stabs in an X shape, or make your initial—get
points with a personalized graham cracker!
Bake at 3250 until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. (If the crackers on the outer edge brown more quickly than those in the center, remove them early!) Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough on a cooled baking sheet. Store airtight.
Makes about 40.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Easy Herbs: 15/15: Lovage
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 15 Lovage
Here is an efficient, multi-purpose herb. A small amount of chopped leaves and tender stems is a quick substitute for celery; its flavor is so strong, you just don’t need very much to do the job. An unexpected added bonus: the large flower umbels are the favorite feeding ground of the wasps that will fly out to the garden, where they’ll lay eggs in tomato worms, and the larva will consume the worms!
How to grow it:
Some sources advise planting lovage near running water, but that is asking TOO much. It grows just fine in the sun, inland, although you will want to keep it well watered, in a fertile soil that is rich in organics (compost, well-rotted manure). It is the last of our “Moist Herbs,” which included basil, cilantro, chives, dill lemon balm, mint and parsley.
How to eat it:
Once you taste potato salad with minced lovage leaves and stems, you’ll not need celery there again. Dry the leaves and stems, and keep them in a dark jar for winter vegetable soups and meat stews. Get points at a summer luncheon: The hollow stems are elegant drinking straws for tomato juice!
Lovage Soup
From Fresh Herb Cooking by Linda Dannenberg. Stewart Tabori & Chang, New York 2001
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks, white part only, minced
2 white onions, chopped
4 baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded lovage leaves
3 cups half-and-half
In a heavy saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Stir in the leeks and onion and cook until they are soft and slightly translucent, but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes, stock and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very soft, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat, stir in the lovage; cover, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook until the lovage is softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Process the potato mixture in a blender or food processor, then transfer to a large saucepan. Add the lovage and the half-and-half, stir to combine, then place over medium heat until very hot, but not boiling. Serve immediately in warmed soup bowls.
Serves 6 to 8.
No. 15 Lovage
Here is an efficient, multi-purpose herb. A small amount of chopped leaves and tender stems is a quick substitute for celery; its flavor is so strong, you just don’t need very much to do the job. An unexpected added bonus: the large flower umbels are the favorite feeding ground of the wasps that will fly out to the garden, where they’ll lay eggs in tomato worms, and the larva will consume the worms!
How to grow it:
Some sources advise planting lovage near running water, but that is asking TOO much. It grows just fine in the sun, inland, although you will want to keep it well watered, in a fertile soil that is rich in organics (compost, well-rotted manure). It is the last of our “Moist Herbs,” which included basil, cilantro, chives, dill lemon balm, mint and parsley.
How to eat it:
Once you taste potato salad with minced lovage leaves and stems, you’ll not need celery there again. Dry the leaves and stems, and keep them in a dark jar for winter vegetable soups and meat stews. Get points at a summer luncheon: The hollow stems are elegant drinking straws for tomato juice!
Lovage Soup
From Fresh Herb Cooking by Linda Dannenberg. Stewart Tabori & Chang, New York 2001
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks, white part only, minced
2 white onions, chopped
4 baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded lovage leaves
3 cups half-and-half
In a heavy saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Stir in the leeks and onion and cook until they are soft and slightly translucent, but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes, stock and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very soft, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat, stir in the lovage; cover, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook until the lovage is softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Process the potato mixture in a blender or food processor, then transfer to a large saucepan. Add the lovage and the half-and-half, stir to combine, then place over medium heat until very hot, but not boiling. Serve immediately in warmed soup bowls.
Serves 6 to 8.
Easy Herbs: 14/15: Sage
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 14 Sage
Leaves of sage should be harvested in May or September when the moon is ascending. This series does not cover any medicinal uses, cosmetic potions, or witchcraft, but while checking my research, I found 2 things worth trying: sage leaves in a rinse to darken gray hair, and rubbed on teeth to whiten them! Hey, what harm can it do?
How to grow it:
This is the last of our “Dry Herbs,” which included lavender, oregano, rosemary, winter savory, tarragon and thyme. Full sun or light shade will work, in light well-drained soil. It’s easiest to start with a plant from the nursery; it’s not like a sagebrush—look for culinary sage, Salvia officinalis.
How to eat it:
Sage is most commonly used in chicken, stuffing and sausage. When roasting a whole chicken, or parts, slip (push) fresh or dried sage leaves under the skin, along with slices of garlic. Put fresh or dried sage leaves in a cream sauce for pork roast or veal cutlets. Sage and caraway breadsticks are good; put sage in cream gravy for biscuits; sage accompanies chicken livers or any fatty meat.
Last herb will be the tallest: You’ll love Lovage soup.
Tortellini with Sage
For each serving: 1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves
1 cup cheese tortellini pasta
In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter, and add the sage leaves. Being careful to not let the butter burn, sauté the leaves until they are crisp around the edges.
Cook tortellini in boiling water following package directions. Drain. Toss with sage and butter.
No. 14 Sage
Leaves of sage should be harvested in May or September when the moon is ascending. This series does not cover any medicinal uses, cosmetic potions, or witchcraft, but while checking my research, I found 2 things worth trying: sage leaves in a rinse to darken gray hair, and rubbed on teeth to whiten them! Hey, what harm can it do?
How to grow it:
This is the last of our “Dry Herbs,” which included lavender, oregano, rosemary, winter savory, tarragon and thyme. Full sun or light shade will work, in light well-drained soil. It’s easiest to start with a plant from the nursery; it’s not like a sagebrush—look for culinary sage, Salvia officinalis.
How to eat it:
Sage is most commonly used in chicken, stuffing and sausage. When roasting a whole chicken, or parts, slip (push) fresh or dried sage leaves under the skin, along with slices of garlic. Put fresh or dried sage leaves in a cream sauce for pork roast or veal cutlets. Sage and caraway breadsticks are good; put sage in cream gravy for biscuits; sage accompanies chicken livers or any fatty meat.
Last herb will be the tallest: You’ll love Lovage soup.
Tortellini with Sage
For each serving: 1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves
1 cup cheese tortellini pasta
In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter, and add the sage leaves. Being careful to not let the butter burn, sauté the leaves until they are crisp around the edges.
Cook tortellini in boiling water following package directions. Drain. Toss with sage and butter.
Easy Herbs: 13/15: Basil
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 13 Basil
Talk about trendy! And pronunciation disagreement! Wide choice of types. Where to start?! The seed catalogs –which may list as many as 13 different varieties--will tout this one or that one as the best for pesto, the best for tomatoes, and you would have to grow them all to discover your favorite. Here is my short list: Sweet Basil, Genovese Basil, and Thai Basil. The cutesy mini basil is a no-starter—too tiny, who wants the smallest of anything? But then I also shun the highly acclaimed giant-leaved or lettuce-leaved basil, because the flavor is bland. Who wants the blandest of anything? But the most useful all around are the sweet and Genovese types.
How to grow it:
Life is too short to plant seedlings in little pots & then set them outside, if you can just as easily direct sow them. Sweet basil planted when the garden soil is very warm will mature in time for the tomato season—and that’s exactly what you want. When the first 3 pairs of leaves have emerged (the first pair of seedling leaves, and 2 pairs of true leaves) pinch out the top pair of leaves. Keep this up, and the basil will branch out and flourish, and confound your efforts to keep track of which one you pinched last time. Doing this constantly will keep you ahead of the bolting process (blooming and going to seed), as will maintaining constant moisture. Don’t let the plants get stressed in the heat of the day. Drying in the heat is the signal for the plant to set buds for blossoms, and then it is downhill for the flavor of the annual moist herbs. If the constant pinching provides too much fresh basil, then dry the leaves. You’ll need them for red tomato sauces next winter.
How to eat it:
Lemon basil is good cooked with pot roast or made into tea with or without other lemon-flavored herbs such as lemon verbena, lemon balm, and lemon thyme. Thai basil is a bit spicier, and great in Asian recipes. Use the Sweet or Genovese varieties for pesto and Mediterranean foods. Use basil fresh or dried. Get points at an appetizer party: Bring the beautiful presentation below.
Herb for the ages next: The wisdom of Sage.
Pesto
2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup elephant garlic cloves
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
In a food processor whizz the basil leaves, garlic, cheese, and oil until well blended. Add the pine nuts and blend another 10 seconds. If not using immediately, pour into a container with a tight lid (or use tight plastic wrap). Before sealing it for refrigeration or freezing, cover the surface of the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil. This will help to prevent oxidation. When serving or using the pesto, stir the top oil layer into the mixture.
Note: For a thinner sauce, add more oil when processing. The amount of cheese can be altered to your taste, or to suit the dish being served.
Basic: Serve with pasta, pizza, bruschetta, meats, vegetables, soups and salads.
Beautiful presentation: Arrange slices of tomatoes on a platter; lay a thin slice of mozzarella cheese on each tomato slice, topped with a dab of pesto.
No. 13 Basil
Talk about trendy! And pronunciation disagreement! Wide choice of types. Where to start?! The seed catalogs –which may list as many as 13 different varieties--will tout this one or that one as the best for pesto, the best for tomatoes, and you would have to grow them all to discover your favorite. Here is my short list: Sweet Basil, Genovese Basil, and Thai Basil. The cutesy mini basil is a no-starter—too tiny, who wants the smallest of anything? But then I also shun the highly acclaimed giant-leaved or lettuce-leaved basil, because the flavor is bland. Who wants the blandest of anything? But the most useful all around are the sweet and Genovese types.
How to grow it:
Life is too short to plant seedlings in little pots & then set them outside, if you can just as easily direct sow them. Sweet basil planted when the garden soil is very warm will mature in time for the tomato season—and that’s exactly what you want. When the first 3 pairs of leaves have emerged (the first pair of seedling leaves, and 2 pairs of true leaves) pinch out the top pair of leaves. Keep this up, and the basil will branch out and flourish, and confound your efforts to keep track of which one you pinched last time. Doing this constantly will keep you ahead of the bolting process (blooming and going to seed), as will maintaining constant moisture. Don’t let the plants get stressed in the heat of the day. Drying in the heat is the signal for the plant to set buds for blossoms, and then it is downhill for the flavor of the annual moist herbs. If the constant pinching provides too much fresh basil, then dry the leaves. You’ll need them for red tomato sauces next winter.
How to eat it:
Lemon basil is good cooked with pot roast or made into tea with or without other lemon-flavored herbs such as lemon verbena, lemon balm, and lemon thyme. Thai basil is a bit spicier, and great in Asian recipes. Use the Sweet or Genovese varieties for pesto and Mediterranean foods. Use basil fresh or dried. Get points at an appetizer party: Bring the beautiful presentation below.
Herb for the ages next: The wisdom of Sage.
Pesto
2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup elephant garlic cloves
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
In a food processor whizz the basil leaves, garlic, cheese, and oil until well blended. Add the pine nuts and blend another 10 seconds. If not using immediately, pour into a container with a tight lid (or use tight plastic wrap). Before sealing it for refrigeration or freezing, cover the surface of the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil. This will help to prevent oxidation. When serving or using the pesto, stir the top oil layer into the mixture.
Note: For a thinner sauce, add more oil when processing. The amount of cheese can be altered to your taste, or to suit the dish being served.
Basic: Serve with pasta, pizza, bruschetta, meats, vegetables, soups and salads.
Beautiful presentation: Arrange slices of tomatoes on a platter; lay a thin slice of mozzarella cheese on each tomato slice, topped with a dab of pesto.
Easy Herbs: 12/15: Chives
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 12 Chives
Before my mother & grandmother on the farms in Pennsylvania knew what “herbs” were, they grew chives, also parsley, dill and mint. Nowadays these flavoring vegetables are so popular, we call them herbs and maintain separate garden areas for them. And we’ve added the exotic herbs to our diet, but chives is (or are?) one of the old standards, one of the earliest spring tastes of delicate onion flavor.
How to grow them:
Perennials are valued as time savers—no need to plant every year. Chives are easy to grow from seed or division (share with friends.) They will behave well in full sun and fertile soil that is kept moist, and might require dividing every few years.
How to eat them:
When your refrigerator crisper is all out of green onions, run out to the herb garden, and grab some chives. Mix chopped chives in sour cream, to top steamed butternut squash and standard baked potatoes. Don’t bother to dry the leaves, they lose flavor quickly.
Herb to come: Basil, Italy’s gift to tomatoes.
Chives-Buttered Carrots
From the original Betty Crocker Cookbook. 1969.
1 1/2 pounds fresh carrots
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced chives
Heat 1 inch of water to boiling. Add whole peeled carrots. Cover, return to boil, and cook until crisp-tender.
Melt butter in medium sauté pan; add carrots. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chives. Heat carrots through.
No. 12 Chives
Before my mother & grandmother on the farms in Pennsylvania knew what “herbs” were, they grew chives, also parsley, dill and mint. Nowadays these flavoring vegetables are so popular, we call them herbs and maintain separate garden areas for them. And we’ve added the exotic herbs to our diet, but chives is (or are?) one of the old standards, one of the earliest spring tastes of delicate onion flavor.
How to grow them:
Perennials are valued as time savers—no need to plant every year. Chives are easy to grow from seed or division (share with friends.) They will behave well in full sun and fertile soil that is kept moist, and might require dividing every few years.
How to eat them:
When your refrigerator crisper is all out of green onions, run out to the herb garden, and grab some chives. Mix chopped chives in sour cream, to top steamed butternut squash and standard baked potatoes. Don’t bother to dry the leaves, they lose flavor quickly.
Herb to come: Basil, Italy’s gift to tomatoes.
Chives-Buttered Carrots
From the original Betty Crocker Cookbook. 1969.
1 1/2 pounds fresh carrots
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced chives
Heat 1 inch of water to boiling. Add whole peeled carrots. Cover, return to boil, and cook until crisp-tender.
Melt butter in medium sauté pan; add carrots. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chives. Heat carrots through.
Easy Herbs: 11/15: Winter Savory
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 11 Winter Savory
This perennial plant is more reliable –and more flavorful—than the annual summer savory. So it’s a no-brainer to maintain only the best & brightest! It can sub for thyme when you want more flavor punch. It’s so easy, can be picked during a mild winter, and may not even need early spring pruning. It may decline after 3 or 4 years, but you’ll be glad to replace it with a new plant, after you get accustomed to having it on hand for beans, grains and pilaf salads.
How to grow it:
Start with a nursery plant, and put it with your other dry-soil herbs (lavender, oregano, sage, tarragon, and thyme.) Sunny spot, light sandy soil, not allowed to remain soggy. Easy.
How to eat it:
See above. Leaves are used either fresh or dried.
Next time: Chives are always plural.
Palouse Pilaf
Wheat and Barley Salad
2/3 cup dry wheat berries
2/3 cup pearl barley
1 cup minced sweet onion
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh winter savory leaves
2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
2 teaspoons fresh minced mint leaves
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the wheat berries, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the barley and simmer for 30 minutes more.
While the grains cook, combine the onion, garlic, salt, vinegar and oil. Drain the grains and toss with the onion mixture. Set aside to cool.
When the grains have cooled to room temperature, add the fresh herbs and tomatoes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
No. 11 Winter Savory
This perennial plant is more reliable –and more flavorful—than the annual summer savory. So it’s a no-brainer to maintain only the best & brightest! It can sub for thyme when you want more flavor punch. It’s so easy, can be picked during a mild winter, and may not even need early spring pruning. It may decline after 3 or 4 years, but you’ll be glad to replace it with a new plant, after you get accustomed to having it on hand for beans, grains and pilaf salads.
How to grow it:
Start with a nursery plant, and put it with your other dry-soil herbs (lavender, oregano, sage, tarragon, and thyme.) Sunny spot, light sandy soil, not allowed to remain soggy. Easy.
How to eat it:
See above. Leaves are used either fresh or dried.
Next time: Chives are always plural.
Palouse Pilaf
Wheat and Barley Salad
2/3 cup dry wheat berries
2/3 cup pearl barley
1 cup minced sweet onion
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh winter savory leaves
2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
2 teaspoons fresh minced mint leaves
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the wheat berries, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the barley and simmer for 30 minutes more.
While the grains cook, combine the onion, garlic, salt, vinegar and oil. Drain the grains and toss with the onion mixture. Set aside to cool.
When the grains have cooled to room temperature, add the fresh herbs and tomatoes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Easy Herbs: 10/15: Oregano
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 10 Oregano
There are many varieties from various locations (Greece, Mexico, Italy, Sicily, Syria, Turkey, Crete, etc.) The strongest (best) flavor comes from true Greek Oregano (species name is heracleoticum). Since marjoram is a weaker flavored, short-lived, tender Origanum, let’s concentrate on the full-flavored Greek Oregano. If your recipe calls for marjoram, just use less oregano!
How to grow it:
The best location for the plant is in full sun, in well-drained soil. If you are determined to experience the herb that bites back, O. heracleoticum, order seeds from Richter’s Herbs. (richters.com) Start seeds indoors in early spring; don’t cover them with soil, they’ll germinate in light.
How to eat it:
Leaves are good at any stage, and can be frozen or dried for winter use. With olive oil and oregano, a submarine sandwich is Italian. Oregano in your homemade “boursin” cheese spread will be delicious. You’ll find the ingredient listed in recipes for vegetables, meats, cheese & egg dishes—but the primo use is in tomato sauce for pasta and pizza.
Herb on deck: Winter Savory—you can eat it in the summer, too.
Pizza Sauce
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or red cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cracked fennel seeds
Sauté garlic and onion in oil until golden. Add tomatoes and all seasonings. Simmer until sauce has lost most of its moisture, about 5 minutes.
No. 10 Oregano
There are many varieties from various locations (Greece, Mexico, Italy, Sicily, Syria, Turkey, Crete, etc.) The strongest (best) flavor comes from true Greek Oregano (species name is heracleoticum). Since marjoram is a weaker flavored, short-lived, tender Origanum, let’s concentrate on the full-flavored Greek Oregano. If your recipe calls for marjoram, just use less oregano!
How to grow it:
The best location for the plant is in full sun, in well-drained soil. If you are determined to experience the herb that bites back, O. heracleoticum, order seeds from Richter’s Herbs. (richters.com) Start seeds indoors in early spring; don’t cover them with soil, they’ll germinate in light.
How to eat it:
Leaves are good at any stage, and can be frozen or dried for winter use. With olive oil and oregano, a submarine sandwich is Italian. Oregano in your homemade “boursin” cheese spread will be delicious. You’ll find the ingredient listed in recipes for vegetables, meats, cheese & egg dishes—but the primo use is in tomato sauce for pasta and pizza.
Herb on deck: Winter Savory—you can eat it in the summer, too.
Pizza Sauce
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or red cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cracked fennel seeds
Sauté garlic and onion in oil until golden. Add tomatoes and all seasonings. Simmer until sauce has lost most of its moisture, about 5 minutes.
Easy Herbs: 9/15: Lavender
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 9 Lavender
The blossoms can be purple, rose, purple-blue, lavender-blue, violet, pink or white. Most commonly valued for its aromatic properties in the perfumery industry, for cosmetics, & lotions, the blossoms of lavender are also the parts of the plant most used in culinary preparations. (The leaves are edible, but bitter.) Lavender is big in England and France, but for the local lavender experience check out the Pend Oreille Lavender Festival, July 7 & 8 in Cusick, Washington. Also try Lavender Fields Forever, Mountain View Ranch in Athol, Idaho in July. There are lavender festivals in Western Washington, Western Montana and beyond.
How to grow it:
A sunny sandy spot will do. In hard winter areas, cover with a deep mulch of leaves and pine straw; the plant may require severe pruning in early spring. Linda Ours Sago in Dooryard Herbs, advises settling your newly purchased lavender plant on the south side of a large rock. The rock will hold the sun’s warmth and serve as wind protection.
How to eat it:
Lavender jelly sounds nice, lavender mint iced tea—all veddy veddy proper sweet things a proper lady would make with her English lavender. The French use lavender as a savory herb.
Next herb: Truly Greek Oregano.
Herbes de Provence
Close your eyes, sprinkle Herbes de Provence on an onion tart, take a bite, and feel the sensuous sunshine and warm Mediterranean breeze of southern France. If you don’t live in Provence, name your herbs as you please: call it your own, such as “Herbs de Inland Northwest” or “Herbs de Virginia?”, and pack the mixture in tiny spice jars as gifts for friends who like to eat. If you are using fresh herbs from your garden, harvest them in the morning after the dew has evaporated, and the leaves are not wet. If they are dusty and you must wash them, allow them to air dry. Wrap in paper towels, and nuke them on full power for 1 to 2 minutes.
4 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons dried winter savory leaves
2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
2 tablespoons dried rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons crumbled dry bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon dried orange peel
Whizz all ingredients in a coffee grinder. Store in a tightly covered jar. Use to flavor sautéed vegetables or sprinkle on an onion tart (French pizza).
Hint: To clean the coffee grinder after herbs or spices, whizz some granulated sugar in it.
No. 9 Lavender
The blossoms can be purple, rose, purple-blue, lavender-blue, violet, pink or white. Most commonly valued for its aromatic properties in the perfumery industry, for cosmetics, & lotions, the blossoms of lavender are also the parts of the plant most used in culinary preparations. (The leaves are edible, but bitter.) Lavender is big in England and France, but for the local lavender experience check out the Pend Oreille Lavender Festival, July 7 & 8 in Cusick, Washington. Also try Lavender Fields Forever, Mountain View Ranch in Athol, Idaho in July. There are lavender festivals in Western Washington, Western Montana and beyond.
How to grow it:
A sunny sandy spot will do. In hard winter areas, cover with a deep mulch of leaves and pine straw; the plant may require severe pruning in early spring. Linda Ours Sago in Dooryard Herbs, advises settling your newly purchased lavender plant on the south side of a large rock. The rock will hold the sun’s warmth and serve as wind protection.
How to eat it:
Lavender jelly sounds nice, lavender mint iced tea—all veddy veddy proper sweet things a proper lady would make with her English lavender. The French use lavender as a savory herb.
Next herb: Truly Greek Oregano.
Herbes de Provence
Close your eyes, sprinkle Herbes de Provence on an onion tart, take a bite, and feel the sensuous sunshine and warm Mediterranean breeze of southern France. If you don’t live in Provence, name your herbs as you please: call it your own, such as “Herbs de Inland Northwest” or “Herbs de Virginia?”, and pack the mixture in tiny spice jars as gifts for friends who like to eat. If you are using fresh herbs from your garden, harvest them in the morning after the dew has evaporated, and the leaves are not wet. If they are dusty and you must wash them, allow them to air dry. Wrap in paper towels, and nuke them on full power for 1 to 2 minutes.
4 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons dried winter savory leaves
2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
2 tablespoons dried rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons crumbled dry bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon dried orange peel
Whizz all ingredients in a coffee grinder. Store in a tightly covered jar. Use to flavor sautéed vegetables or sprinkle on an onion tart (French pizza).
Hint: To clean the coffee grinder after herbs or spices, whizz some granulated sugar in it.
Easy Herbs: 8/15: Parsley
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 8 Parsley
Time for a parlor game: Name that tune: parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Second part of the game: Which herb doesn’t belong? Parsley,... sage, ...rosemary,... thyme. ...? Well, they all sound like good Roman, or Italian, or Provencal herbs, don’t they? For cooking purposes, they can all stay together. For purposes of growing, though, the odd one out is parsley. Why is this?
How to grow it:
Sage, thyme and rosemary are native to dry, gravelly soils. One soil requirement for all the culinary herbs is well drained. But parsley needs a richer, moister soil to thrive. Its stems don’t get woody and dry; they need a constant supply of water to stand up & stay alive. Parsley is a biennial. That is, you’ll have time to plant more seeds in the second year, while last year’s plant is on its last legs. Yes, you are still planting seeds every year (as with annuals), but you’ll have parsley that overwintered and will produce till mid-summer, when it blooms for the final time. I wouldn’t bother buying plants, because the roots do not like to be disturbed—it’s difficult to transplant parsley, so just direct sow the seeds where you want them.
How to eat it:
Flat-leaf parsley is said to be more flavorful than curly leaves. This may be the most familiar, most used herb: the list is endless, but it MUST go into chicken soup.
Next week: Lavender. Is it blue or purple?
Parsley for Parties
Pizza party: Before baking the pizza, sprinkle a thick ring (2 tablespoons) of chopped parsley all around the edge, about one-inch wide. This doesn’t just look pretty, it will give those last few bites at the crust edge the really unusual taste of crispy parsley.
Tea party: Mix lots of chopped parsley with room temperature butter. Spread on slices of brown bread, making little sandwiches.
Movie night:
Baked Potato Skins
6 large baking potatoes
3 to 4 tablespoons melted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Onion salt
Garlic salt
Finely minced parsley
Parmesan cheese
Sour cream
Scrub potatoes thoroughly, and prick several times with a fork. Bake at 4000 for 1 hour or more, until done. Allow to cool to the touch. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; carefully scoop out the potato, leaving about 1/4-inch-thick shells (save the scooped-out potato for fried potatoes at breakfast tomorrow morning).
Cut each shell into 1-inch-wide strips, and place on ungreased baking sheets. Brush tops with melted butter; sprinkle seasonings, parsley and cheese. Bake at 4000 for 10 to 12 minutes or until crisp. Serve warm with sour cream.
Answer to name that tune: “Are You Going to Scarborough Fair?”
No. 8 Parsley
Time for a parlor game: Name that tune: parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Second part of the game: Which herb doesn’t belong? Parsley,... sage, ...rosemary,... thyme. ...? Well, they all sound like good Roman, or Italian, or Provencal herbs, don’t they? For cooking purposes, they can all stay together. For purposes of growing, though, the odd one out is parsley. Why is this?
How to grow it:
Sage, thyme and rosemary are native to dry, gravelly soils. One soil requirement for all the culinary herbs is well drained. But parsley needs a richer, moister soil to thrive. Its stems don’t get woody and dry; they need a constant supply of water to stand up & stay alive. Parsley is a biennial. That is, you’ll have time to plant more seeds in the second year, while last year’s plant is on its last legs. Yes, you are still planting seeds every year (as with annuals), but you’ll have parsley that overwintered and will produce till mid-summer, when it blooms for the final time. I wouldn’t bother buying plants, because the roots do not like to be disturbed—it’s difficult to transplant parsley, so just direct sow the seeds where you want them.
How to eat it:
Flat-leaf parsley is said to be more flavorful than curly leaves. This may be the most familiar, most used herb: the list is endless, but it MUST go into chicken soup.
Next week: Lavender. Is it blue or purple?
Parsley for Parties
Pizza party: Before baking the pizza, sprinkle a thick ring (2 tablespoons) of chopped parsley all around the edge, about one-inch wide. This doesn’t just look pretty, it will give those last few bites at the crust edge the really unusual taste of crispy parsley.
Tea party: Mix lots of chopped parsley with room temperature butter. Spread on slices of brown bread, making little sandwiches.
Movie night:
Baked Potato Skins
6 large baking potatoes
3 to 4 tablespoons melted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Onion salt
Garlic salt
Finely minced parsley
Parmesan cheese
Sour cream
Scrub potatoes thoroughly, and prick several times with a fork. Bake at 4000 for 1 hour or more, until done. Allow to cool to the touch. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; carefully scoop out the potato, leaving about 1/4-inch-thick shells (save the scooped-out potato for fried potatoes at breakfast tomorrow morning).
Cut each shell into 1-inch-wide strips, and place on ungreased baking sheets. Brush tops with melted butter; sprinkle seasonings, parsley and cheese. Bake at 4000 for 10 to 12 minutes or until crisp. Serve warm with sour cream.
Answer to name that tune: “Are You Going to Scarborough Fair?”
Easy Herbs: 7/15: Thyme
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 7 Thyme
Culinary thyme might be called English or German or French. If you see one of these plants at the nursery, it’ll be good to eat. “Thymus serpyllum”, or “Mother of Thyme” makes a good ground cover, which is beside the point of our investigations here. But it’s interesting to note that horticulturists call that low growing trait “prostrate”—as if the plant had a choice—it couldn’t stand up if it wanted to! Can a plant be anthropomorphized?
How to grow it:
Thyme thrives in a light soil in full sun to partial shade, and despite being a native of a warm Mediterranean climate, try a ground hugging “mother” that will hunker down under the snow. One reference even says it will do best in relatively poor soil—what could be easier?
How to eat it:
Leaves of thyme can flavor anything from appetizers to desserts, they’re just as good dried as fresh, and French cuisine would hardly exist without them.
Next herb: Parsley is for parties.
Easy Seasoning, Louisiana Style
3 teaspoons dried mild red chiles
3 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
3 teaspoons onion powder
3 teaspoons coriander seeds
3 teaspoons salt
Whizz all ingredients in a coffee grinder. Store in a tightly covered jar. Use on fish, shellfish, fried potatoes, or green beans.
Hint: To clean the coffee grinder after herbs or spices, whizz some granulated sugar in it.
No. 7 Thyme
Culinary thyme might be called English or German or French. If you see one of these plants at the nursery, it’ll be good to eat. “Thymus serpyllum”, or “Mother of Thyme” makes a good ground cover, which is beside the point of our investigations here. But it’s interesting to note that horticulturists call that low growing trait “prostrate”—as if the plant had a choice—it couldn’t stand up if it wanted to! Can a plant be anthropomorphized?
How to grow it:
Thyme thrives in a light soil in full sun to partial shade, and despite being a native of a warm Mediterranean climate, try a ground hugging “mother” that will hunker down under the snow. One reference even says it will do best in relatively poor soil—what could be easier?
How to eat it:
Leaves of thyme can flavor anything from appetizers to desserts, they’re just as good dried as fresh, and French cuisine would hardly exist without them.
Next herb: Parsley is for parties.
Easy Seasoning, Louisiana Style
3 teaspoons dried mild red chiles
3 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
3 teaspoons onion powder
3 teaspoons coriander seeds
3 teaspoons salt
Whizz all ingredients in a coffee grinder. Store in a tightly covered jar. Use on fish, shellfish, fried potatoes, or green beans.
Hint: To clean the coffee grinder after herbs or spices, whizz some granulated sugar in it.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Easy Herbs: 6/15: Mint
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 6 Mint
Who doesn’t like mint? It’s an easy decision to include mints in the landscape. It’s probably a good idea to plant them far away from your cultivated areas of fine fancy flowers, because of their propensity to take over. So plant them in odd corners of the yard where they can be kept in check with the lawnmower.
How to grow it:
In full sun or partial shade, mints will be happy. Buy plants—it’s easier than waiting for seeds to grow. Enrich the soil, keep it evenly moist and this perennial will shove up some tender shoots for your first julep on Derby Day.
How to eat it:
Peppermint (Mentha peperita) is the all-around mint for fruit anythings. (And there are many varieties from which to choose.) Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is best drunk in tea or julep. But mint varieties are easily interchangeable, especially if the plants run together and you forget which one is which! Doesn’t matter; all mints are good. Dry the stems upside down in a paper bag, and keep them on hand all year.
Next herb: Make time for Thyme.
Cucumber Mint Dip
2 cups diced cucumbers
2 cups yogurt
1/2 cup minced sweet onions (optional)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup minced fresh mint leaves or 2 tablespoons crumbled dried mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate one hour. Serve with pita bread.
No. 6 Mint
Who doesn’t like mint? It’s an easy decision to include mints in the landscape. It’s probably a good idea to plant them far away from your cultivated areas of fine fancy flowers, because of their propensity to take over. So plant them in odd corners of the yard where they can be kept in check with the lawnmower.
How to grow it:
In full sun or partial shade, mints will be happy. Buy plants—it’s easier than waiting for seeds to grow. Enrich the soil, keep it evenly moist and this perennial will shove up some tender shoots for your first julep on Derby Day.
How to eat it:
Peppermint (Mentha peperita) is the all-around mint for fruit anythings. (And there are many varieties from which to choose.) Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is best drunk in tea or julep. But mint varieties are easily interchangeable, especially if the plants run together and you forget which one is which! Doesn’t matter; all mints are good. Dry the stems upside down in a paper bag, and keep them on hand all year.
Next herb: Make time for Thyme.
Cucumber Mint Dip
2 cups diced cucumbers
2 cups yogurt
1/2 cup minced sweet onions (optional)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup minced fresh mint leaves or 2 tablespoons crumbled dried mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate one hour. Serve with pita bread.
Easy Herbs: 5/15: Rosemary
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 5 Rosemary
Remember Ophelia? “There’s rosemarry, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember...” Assurer of lovers’ fidelity, protector of the Virgin, symbol of the woman wearing the pants in the family, an aid in digestion of fats— Rosemary should be the emblem of the feminist movement, if it still exists. This herb can be sneaked into the “easy to grow” list, only if she overwinters in a pot indoors. The flavor is so unique (weird?) that it is a must-have, but even the hardiest variety planted outside could disappoint you at the end of winter, when you see that she didn’t survive. But then, neither did Ophelia.
How to grow her:
Grow this Mediterranean herb in a clay pot. Choose a sunny spot in very well-drained soil; plant the whole pot in your garden, and dig it up to bring into the kitchen in fall. The trick in summer and winter is the watering: don’t let her stand in soggy soil, but don’t let her get too thirsty, either. Mist the branches regularly.
How to eat her:
Best use is with lamb, oven-roasted vegetables and focaccia. Get points at a cookout when you lay a wet branch of rosemary on the grill, and cook your chicken, lamb or beef right on it.
Next time: Get that piney rosemary taste out of your mouth with cool Mint.
Focaccia
(You can use this dough to make your own pizza, too.)
2 tablespoons dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
About 4 tablespoons olive oil
Cornmeal for baking sheets
4 teaspoons fresh or dried rosemary leaves
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black peppercorns
Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup lukewarm water.
Mix 3 cups flour and salt; make a well in the center, and add the dissolved yeast and 1 cup lukewarm water. Mix thoroughly, and knead well, adding enough of the remaining flour to make a soft, smooth dough. If you knead slowly, do it for 10 minutes; if you slam it hard & fast, count at least 100 slams!
Slather the dough ball with 1 tablespoon oil, and let it rise in a covered bowl for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.
Preheat oven to 4500. Sprinkle cornmeal on 2 large pizza baking sheets.
Divide dough into 2 portions. Using plenty of flour on the rolling surface, roll out circles. Put them onto the baking sheets. Poke the rosemary leaves into the dough. Spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil on each focaccia, dimpling the surface with your fingers. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Put the baking sheets into the oven and lower the temperature to 4250. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cut wedges with a pizza cutter, or tear off chunks.
No. 5 Rosemary
Remember Ophelia? “There’s rosemarry, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember...” Assurer of lovers’ fidelity, protector of the Virgin, symbol of the woman wearing the pants in the family, an aid in digestion of fats— Rosemary should be the emblem of the feminist movement, if it still exists. This herb can be sneaked into the “easy to grow” list, only if she overwinters in a pot indoors. The flavor is so unique (weird?) that it is a must-have, but even the hardiest variety planted outside could disappoint you at the end of winter, when you see that she didn’t survive. But then, neither did Ophelia.
How to grow her:
Grow this Mediterranean herb in a clay pot. Choose a sunny spot in very well-drained soil; plant the whole pot in your garden, and dig it up to bring into the kitchen in fall. The trick in summer and winter is the watering: don’t let her stand in soggy soil, but don’t let her get too thirsty, either. Mist the branches regularly.
How to eat her:
Best use is with lamb, oven-roasted vegetables and focaccia. Get points at a cookout when you lay a wet branch of rosemary on the grill, and cook your chicken, lamb or beef right on it.
Next time: Get that piney rosemary taste out of your mouth with cool Mint.
Focaccia
(You can use this dough to make your own pizza, too.)
2 tablespoons dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
About 4 tablespoons olive oil
Cornmeal for baking sheets
4 teaspoons fresh or dried rosemary leaves
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black peppercorns
Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup lukewarm water.
Mix 3 cups flour and salt; make a well in the center, and add the dissolved yeast and 1 cup lukewarm water. Mix thoroughly, and knead well, adding enough of the remaining flour to make a soft, smooth dough. If you knead slowly, do it for 10 minutes; if you slam it hard & fast, count at least 100 slams!
Slather the dough ball with 1 tablespoon oil, and let it rise in a covered bowl for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.
Preheat oven to 4500. Sprinkle cornmeal on 2 large pizza baking sheets.
Divide dough into 2 portions. Using plenty of flour on the rolling surface, roll out circles. Put them onto the baking sheets. Poke the rosemary leaves into the dough. Spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil on each focaccia, dimpling the surface with your fingers. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Put the baking sheets into the oven and lower the temperature to 4250. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cut wedges with a pizza cutter, or tear off chunks.
Easy Herbs: 4/15: Lemon Balm
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 4 Lemon Balm
Balm has been touched, smelled, chewed, drunk, eaten and appreciated for thousands of years.
How to grow it:
As a hardy perennial, lemon balm is one of the easiest; she (the botanical name is Melissa) will grow in average soil that holds moisture well without staying soggy. A mostly sunny spot is ideal. The flavor is best before blooming, so the energetic herb gardener will get out there & prune her back to be sure she grows nice & bushy and tasty. But it’s no crime to let lemon balm bloom for the bees. That’s one of the good things about the easy herbs: you don’t have to be embarrassed when they get a little out of control. A neat & tidy herb garden looks nice, but the blooming, rambling, random, seed producing look has a charm all its own. A true herb lover will look at a friend’s weedy, overgrown patch and pronounce it “Lush”.
How to eat (drink) it:
Soothing tea. That’s almost all you need to know about lemon balm. A small handful of fresh or dried leaves in a teapot will not need any sugar to taste good. Be sure to put a leaf or two into your cup, too, because it looks so pretty! Further, sprigs of lemon balm will help to flavor a fruit salad, or a pot roast. And as garnish, it can be used anywhere.
Next herb: Another aromatic lady, Rosemary.
Lemon Balm Cheesecake
Pastry: 1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
Filling: 1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons honey
12 ounces cream cheese
2 eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons very finely chopped lemon balm
Preheat the oven to 4000.
Pastry: Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Mix in the oil until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle in cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, using about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Mix until the flour is moistened and the dough almost cleans the side of the bowl. (If the dough seems dry, 1 to 2 tablespoons of canola oil can be added, but do not add water.)
Gather the dough into a ball. Roll out between two pieces of waxed paper to 2 inches larger than a 7-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Peel off the top paper; do a flip, placing the pastry, paper side up, in the pan. Peel off the paper, and ease the pastry loosely into the pan. Trim edge even with the lip of the pan, and prick well with a fork all over, including the sides, at 1/2-inch intervals.
Bake 12 minutes.
Filling: Beat the butter, honey and cream cheese together until soft and creamy. Beat in the eggs and fold in the lemon balm.
Reduce the oven temperature to 3500. Pour the filling into the pastry. Bake for 45 minutes until the filling is golden and set. Cool the pan on a rack, then remove the pastry and set it on a flat plate.
Makes 8 servings.
No. 4 Lemon Balm
Balm has been touched, smelled, chewed, drunk, eaten and appreciated for thousands of years.
How to grow it:
As a hardy perennial, lemon balm is one of the easiest; she (the botanical name is Melissa) will grow in average soil that holds moisture well without staying soggy. A mostly sunny spot is ideal. The flavor is best before blooming, so the energetic herb gardener will get out there & prune her back to be sure she grows nice & bushy and tasty. But it’s no crime to let lemon balm bloom for the bees. That’s one of the good things about the easy herbs: you don’t have to be embarrassed when they get a little out of control. A neat & tidy herb garden looks nice, but the blooming, rambling, random, seed producing look has a charm all its own. A true herb lover will look at a friend’s weedy, overgrown patch and pronounce it “Lush”.
How to eat (drink) it:
Soothing tea. That’s almost all you need to know about lemon balm. A small handful of fresh or dried leaves in a teapot will not need any sugar to taste good. Be sure to put a leaf or two into your cup, too, because it looks so pretty! Further, sprigs of lemon balm will help to flavor a fruit salad, or a pot roast. And as garnish, it can be used anywhere.
Next herb: Another aromatic lady, Rosemary.
Lemon Balm Cheesecake
Pastry: 1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
Filling: 1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons honey
12 ounces cream cheese
2 eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons very finely chopped lemon balm
Preheat the oven to 4000.
Pastry: Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Mix in the oil until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle in cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, using about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Mix until the flour is moistened and the dough almost cleans the side of the bowl. (If the dough seems dry, 1 to 2 tablespoons of canola oil can be added, but do not add water.)
Gather the dough into a ball. Roll out between two pieces of waxed paper to 2 inches larger than a 7-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Peel off the top paper; do a flip, placing the pastry, paper side up, in the pan. Peel off the paper, and ease the pastry loosely into the pan. Trim edge even with the lip of the pan, and prick well with a fork all over, including the sides, at 1/2-inch intervals.
Bake 12 minutes.
Filling: Beat the butter, honey and cream cheese together until soft and creamy. Beat in the eggs and fold in the lemon balm.
Reduce the oven temperature to 3500. Pour the filling into the pastry. Bake for 45 minutes until the filling is golden and set. Cool the pan on a rack, then remove the pastry and set it on a flat plate.
Makes 8 servings.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Easy Herbs: 3/15: Tarragon
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 3 Tarragon
If you have room for only one herb plant, make it Artemisia dracunculus. It’s easy to grow, and enticing in so many foods. A bit of interesting etymology: the Latin dracunculus means “little dragon” as does the French estragon, hence the English tarragon. Who named this innocent plant? Is it because of its serpentine root system? Or because the anise or licorice-like flavor numbs your tongue in a scary way? If you are interested in herbal lore you’ll enjoy researching the uses of tarragon through the ages.
How to grow it:
This is the easy part. Tarragon is a perennial: buy a plant at the nursery, plant it in your sunny spot in rich, well-drained soil, and it stays there for years! It hunkers down in winter (goes dormant); this is when you cut off the dead stems. Then new stems grow in early spring. What could be easier? You can even cut pieces of the branches that have become woody by early summer, stick them in the ground or in a flowerpot, and grow more plants! Get the French variety; a plant labeled Russian tarragon won’t have as much flavor.
How to eat it:
Eat it fresh or cooked—this is easy, too. Tarragon flavors so many foods well: vinegar, tuna (pile it on a tuna sandwich and let it burn your tongue!), savory sauces (especially bernaise), meats, vegetables, dairy foods, poultry (put a few tarragon branches inside a chicken before roasting) and salad dressings.
Next herb: Lemon Balm, to make your own soothing herb tea.
Tarragon Vinegar
Fresh tarragon branches
Apple cider vinegar
Use a clean bottle or jar with a lid or cork closure. (You can use a vinegar bottle, a pop bottle, a water bottle, a liquor bottle, whatever you want, and label it.) Stuff it full of tarragon branches, and fill with vinegar to cover all the leaves. Close the lid. Set it on a sunny windowsill for a couple of weeks, then store in the pantry. Use tarragon vinegar in any recipe listing cider vinegar and it subs well for wine vinegar, too.
Tarragon Chicken
1 fryer chicken, cut up
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the chicken pieces in butter with 1 tablespoon of the fresh tarragon. Remove the chicken and reserve.
Sauté the onion in the pan drippings until soft. Stir in the wine, salt and pepper.
Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon the wine mixture over it, and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, until chicken is almost tender.
Whisk the flour and milk together thoroughly. Increase heat under the skillet until the liquid is bubbling. Add the milk mixture, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and bubbles. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of tarragon. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Serve with rice. Serves 4.
No. 3 Tarragon
If you have room for only one herb plant, make it Artemisia dracunculus. It’s easy to grow, and enticing in so many foods. A bit of interesting etymology: the Latin dracunculus means “little dragon” as does the French estragon, hence the English tarragon. Who named this innocent plant? Is it because of its serpentine root system? Or because the anise or licorice-like flavor numbs your tongue in a scary way? If you are interested in herbal lore you’ll enjoy researching the uses of tarragon through the ages.
How to grow it:
This is the easy part. Tarragon is a perennial: buy a plant at the nursery, plant it in your sunny spot in rich, well-drained soil, and it stays there for years! It hunkers down in winter (goes dormant); this is when you cut off the dead stems. Then new stems grow in early spring. What could be easier? You can even cut pieces of the branches that have become woody by early summer, stick them in the ground or in a flowerpot, and grow more plants! Get the French variety; a plant labeled Russian tarragon won’t have as much flavor.
How to eat it:
Eat it fresh or cooked—this is easy, too. Tarragon flavors so many foods well: vinegar, tuna (pile it on a tuna sandwich and let it burn your tongue!), savory sauces (especially bernaise), meats, vegetables, dairy foods, poultry (put a few tarragon branches inside a chicken before roasting) and salad dressings.
Next herb: Lemon Balm, to make your own soothing herb tea.
Tarragon Vinegar
Fresh tarragon branches
Apple cider vinegar
Use a clean bottle or jar with a lid or cork closure. (You can use a vinegar bottle, a pop bottle, a water bottle, a liquor bottle, whatever you want, and label it.) Stuff it full of tarragon branches, and fill with vinegar to cover all the leaves. Close the lid. Set it on a sunny windowsill for a couple of weeks, then store in the pantry. Use tarragon vinegar in any recipe listing cider vinegar and it subs well for wine vinegar, too.
Tarragon Chicken
1 fryer chicken, cut up
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the chicken pieces in butter with 1 tablespoon of the fresh tarragon. Remove the chicken and reserve.
Sauté the onion in the pan drippings until soft. Stir in the wine, salt and pepper.
Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon the wine mixture over it, and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, until chicken is almost tender.
Whisk the flour and milk together thoroughly. Increase heat under the skillet until the liquid is bubbling. Add the milk mixture, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and bubbles. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of tarragon. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Serve with rice. Serves 4.
Easy Herbs: 2/15: Dill
Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 2 Dill
In the beginning there was dill. Then the cucumbers and fish were created. But dill came first; it’s the horse and carriage story, with dill and cukes, dill & fish, dill & salad.
How to grow it:
Although this is another annual that has to be planted every year from seed, it’s no trouble at all. Just like cilantro, it will thrive in a moderately rich (use lots of organic matter) soil in a sunny spot. Don’t allow the soil to dry out, but it shouldn’t stay soggy, either. Sow dill seeds in spring as soon as frost danger has passed, where they are to grow.
How to eat it:
Stuff the flowers, stems and leaves into the pickle jars. Strew the whole platter of fish with dill. Chop up lots of it for the potato salad or cucumber and onion salad. In short, plant lots of dill! If you grow too much of the stuff, freeze it in plastic bags, because dried dill has no flavor. Save the seeds for next year, and you may have some left to plant if you haven’t used them all up in bread over the winter.
Next time: Tarragon, the little dragon.
Dill Gribiche Sauce
Serve on hot or cold salmon or as a sandwich spread or salad dressing. Adapted from Fresh Herb Cooking by Linda Dannenberg. Stewart Tabori & Chang, New York. 2001.
1 egg
1 tablespoon dill vinegar*
1 tablespoon pickle juice (from dill or sweet pickles)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 packed cup parsley leaves
1 cup coarsely chopped dill, with stems
1/3 cup capers
2 cups canola oil
4 shallots
3 medium-sized crunchy dill pickles
2 hard-boiled eggs, cooled and peeled
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the raw egg, cover, and remove from the heat. Let it stand for 6 minutes, then remove the egg and crack it into the bowl of a food processor. Add the vinegar, pickle juice and salt; process for 5 minutes. Add the parsley and dill and process for 5 minutes. Add the capers, then with the processor running, gradually add the oil in a thin stream, until the mixture is thick but still pourable. If it’s too thick, stir in a dash of pickle juice.
Finely mince the shallots, and dice the pickles. Using a coarse grater (the big holes), shred the hard-boiled eggs. (This is much easier than chasing a slippery egg around on a cutting board.) Stir these into the sauce and season to taste with pickle juice or vinegar. Refrigerate in a sealed plastic container.
*How do I come by dill vinegar? You might ask. Stuff a clean bottle with dill stems, and fill with apple cider vinegar. Put the lid on (or cork stopper), and set it in a sunny windowsill for a couple of weeks, before storing it in the pantry. In a pinch, you can substitute apple cider vinegar in this recipe.
No. 2 Dill
In the beginning there was dill. Then the cucumbers and fish were created. But dill came first; it’s the horse and carriage story, with dill and cukes, dill & fish, dill & salad.
How to grow it:
Although this is another annual that has to be planted every year from seed, it’s no trouble at all. Just like cilantro, it will thrive in a moderately rich (use lots of organic matter) soil in a sunny spot. Don’t allow the soil to dry out, but it shouldn’t stay soggy, either. Sow dill seeds in spring as soon as frost danger has passed, where they are to grow.
How to eat it:
Stuff the flowers, stems and leaves into the pickle jars. Strew the whole platter of fish with dill. Chop up lots of it for the potato salad or cucumber and onion salad. In short, plant lots of dill! If you grow too much of the stuff, freeze it in plastic bags, because dried dill has no flavor. Save the seeds for next year, and you may have some left to plant if you haven’t used them all up in bread over the winter.
Next time: Tarragon, the little dragon.
Dill Gribiche Sauce
Serve on hot or cold salmon or as a sandwich spread or salad dressing. Adapted from Fresh Herb Cooking by Linda Dannenberg. Stewart Tabori & Chang, New York. 2001.
1 egg
1 tablespoon dill vinegar*
1 tablespoon pickle juice (from dill or sweet pickles)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 packed cup parsley leaves
1 cup coarsely chopped dill, with stems
1/3 cup capers
2 cups canola oil
4 shallots
3 medium-sized crunchy dill pickles
2 hard-boiled eggs, cooled and peeled
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the raw egg, cover, and remove from the heat. Let it stand for 6 minutes, then remove the egg and crack it into the bowl of a food processor. Add the vinegar, pickle juice and salt; process for 5 minutes. Add the parsley and dill and process for 5 minutes. Add the capers, then with the processor running, gradually add the oil in a thin stream, until the mixture is thick but still pourable. If it’s too thick, stir in a dash of pickle juice.
Finely mince the shallots, and dice the pickles. Using a coarse grater (the big holes), shred the hard-boiled eggs. (This is much easier than chasing a slippery egg around on a cutting board.) Stir these into the sauce and season to taste with pickle juice or vinegar. Refrigerate in a sealed plastic container.
*How do I come by dill vinegar? You might ask. Stuff a clean bottle with dill stems, and fill with apple cider vinegar. Put the lid on (or cork stopper), and set it in a sunny windowsill for a couple of weeks, before storing it in the pantry. In a pinch, you can substitute apple cider vinegar in this recipe.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Fifteen Easy Herbs for Eating. No. 1 Cilantro
Want to grow your own culinary herbs? Want to taste fresh flavors both familiar and exotic? In this series we will explore the easiest, most common herbs that you can grow for your kitchen adventures. We won’t have to agree on pronunciation of the “H” in herb, or the “U” in culinary. Our focus is on flavor, and just as we get pleasure from cooking our own foods, we also get much satisfaction from growing our own herbs, and the best part is: It’s easy! No kidding!
We treat herb gardening as a fun, easy way to grow a few good herbs with maximum success and usefulness. The terms “cultivation” and “usage” are not to be found here. The Barefoot Baker (BB) keeps it simple with “How to grow it” and “How to eat it.”
The growing guide is notable for its omissions: no technical jargon about soil pH, no detailed plant descriptions, nothing on insect prevention or exact fertilizer requirements. That’s an advantage to the easy herbs—the requirements are not ironclad. Herbs are easy to grow, and you don’t need to take lessons, you don’t need circular brick pathways, Tuscan urns and teakwood benches in an herb garden. The BB offers basic instructions regarding starting from plants or seed, sun and water needs, basic organic soil amendments, and harvest tips.
There is nothing here about medicinal herbs or witchcraft; it’s all about culinary herbs. So each herb discussion ends with a favorite easy recipe.
No. 1 Cilantro, aka Coriander
First up is the herb of the moment: cilantro. Americans have recently acquired the taste for the unique flavor that was hard for many to accept when it was first introduced to our palates about 20 years ago. But it has been in use in European and Eastern cultures for thousands of years. It’s still hard to describe the flavor—is it smoky? tangy? bitter? lemon/sage flavor? You either like cilantro or you hate it, but if you like it, you’ll be glad to know that it is easy to grow.
How to grow it:
The plant is called Coriandrum, the fresh green leaves are called cilantro, and the seeds are the spice called coriander. This annual (it grows one season and then dies—seeds have to be replanted every year) is a great cold weather herb. Pick a sunny spot, with fertile soil that won’t get a chance to dry out, but will not remain soggy after a rain, either. Don’t use artificial fertilizers on herbs; the flavors will be best if you rely on compost or well-rotted manure dug into the soil. Plant coriander seeds directly in the ground in early spring when you can scratch the soil surface & push them in, even though it’s still too cold outside to sit in the shade with a glass of iced tea. If you allow the seeds to mature on the plant, when they have turned from green to brown, pull the plant, shake the seeds into the just loosened soil, and grow a second crop for fall. It’s that easy!
How to eat it:
Pinch off the leaves as you need them to top tacos and Asian dishes. The early, large leaves have the strongest flavor. As the flowers begin to bloom, more delicate leaves appear, with milder flavor. But the flowers will ripen into dry brown coriander seeds, which have a totally different flavor, and they will bite back in soups, curry mixes and cakes. Who doesn’t love an herb or spice that bites back?! Cilantro is a key ingredient in Mexican, Indian, Moroccan, and Thai dishes. It makes salsas sing; it causes a stir in stir-fry. (Use the leaves when fresh, because they lose flavor quickly after harvest.)
Next time: Dill, the first herb created.
Singing Salsa
Whether you burst into an operatic aria or “The Mexican Hat Dance,” you’ll be glad you dipped your chip into this spicy salsa!
1 (or 2 if you dare) whole jalapeno chile peppers
2 cups diced tomatoes, with juices
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Wearing protective gloves, remove the stems from the jalapenos, and mince them finely; don’t bother to remove the seeds. Combine with the remaining ingredients, and blend well. Chill at least one hour before serving with tortilla chips. Makes about 3 cups.
Dukka
Serve this Egyptian snack with drinks. Dip chunks of French bread first into olive oil, then press into the nutty spice mixture. (Kids like to do this, too.)
1/2 cup hazlenut kernels
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons sea salt
Warm a frying pan over medium heat. Toast the nuts until the skins blacken and the peels can be rubbed and blown away. After the nuts cool, chop them coarsely; set aside in a bowl. Reduce heat to low and lightly toast the sesame seeds in the pan, until golden. Add the seeds to the bowl. Warm the coriander and cumin seeds in the frying pan over low heat until they are fragrant. Put the toasted coriander and cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle with the black peppercorns, and crush them coarsely. Add to the bowl of nuts and seeds, along with the sea salt, and mix well. Stored airtight, Dukka will keep for several weeks.
We treat herb gardening as a fun, easy way to grow a few good herbs with maximum success and usefulness. The terms “cultivation” and “usage” are not to be found here. The Barefoot Baker (BB) keeps it simple with “How to grow it” and “How to eat it.”
The growing guide is notable for its omissions: no technical jargon about soil pH, no detailed plant descriptions, nothing on insect prevention or exact fertilizer requirements. That’s an advantage to the easy herbs—the requirements are not ironclad. Herbs are easy to grow, and you don’t need to take lessons, you don’t need circular brick pathways, Tuscan urns and teakwood benches in an herb garden. The BB offers basic instructions regarding starting from plants or seed, sun and water needs, basic organic soil amendments, and harvest tips.
There is nothing here about medicinal herbs or witchcraft; it’s all about culinary herbs. So each herb discussion ends with a favorite easy recipe.
No. 1 Cilantro, aka Coriander
First up is the herb of the moment: cilantro. Americans have recently acquired the taste for the unique flavor that was hard for many to accept when it was first introduced to our palates about 20 years ago. But it has been in use in European and Eastern cultures for thousands of years. It’s still hard to describe the flavor—is it smoky? tangy? bitter? lemon/sage flavor? You either like cilantro or you hate it, but if you like it, you’ll be glad to know that it is easy to grow.
How to grow it:
The plant is called Coriandrum, the fresh green leaves are called cilantro, and the seeds are the spice called coriander. This annual (it grows one season and then dies—seeds have to be replanted every year) is a great cold weather herb. Pick a sunny spot, with fertile soil that won’t get a chance to dry out, but will not remain soggy after a rain, either. Don’t use artificial fertilizers on herbs; the flavors will be best if you rely on compost or well-rotted manure dug into the soil. Plant coriander seeds directly in the ground in early spring when you can scratch the soil surface & push them in, even though it’s still too cold outside to sit in the shade with a glass of iced tea. If you allow the seeds to mature on the plant, when they have turned from green to brown, pull the plant, shake the seeds into the just loosened soil, and grow a second crop for fall. It’s that easy!
How to eat it:
Pinch off the leaves as you need them to top tacos and Asian dishes. The early, large leaves have the strongest flavor. As the flowers begin to bloom, more delicate leaves appear, with milder flavor. But the flowers will ripen into dry brown coriander seeds, which have a totally different flavor, and they will bite back in soups, curry mixes and cakes. Who doesn’t love an herb or spice that bites back?! Cilantro is a key ingredient in Mexican, Indian, Moroccan, and Thai dishes. It makes salsas sing; it causes a stir in stir-fry. (Use the leaves when fresh, because they lose flavor quickly after harvest.)
Next time: Dill, the first herb created.
Singing Salsa
Whether you burst into an operatic aria or “The Mexican Hat Dance,” you’ll be glad you dipped your chip into this spicy salsa!
1 (or 2 if you dare) whole jalapeno chile peppers
2 cups diced tomatoes, with juices
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Wearing protective gloves, remove the stems from the jalapenos, and mince them finely; don’t bother to remove the seeds. Combine with the remaining ingredients, and blend well. Chill at least one hour before serving with tortilla chips. Makes about 3 cups.
Dukka
Serve this Egyptian snack with drinks. Dip chunks of French bread first into olive oil, then press into the nutty spice mixture. (Kids like to do this, too.)
1/2 cup hazlenut kernels
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons sea salt
Warm a frying pan over medium heat. Toast the nuts until the skins blacken and the peels can be rubbed and blown away. After the nuts cool, chop them coarsely; set aside in a bowl. Reduce heat to low and lightly toast the sesame seeds in the pan, until golden. Add the seeds to the bowl. Warm the coriander and cumin seeds in the frying pan over low heat until they are fragrant. Put the toasted coriander and cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle with the black peppercorns, and crush them coarsely. Add to the bowl of nuts and seeds, along with the sea salt, and mix well. Stored airtight, Dukka will keep for several weeks.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Hells Canyon Geology Field Trip
Late March, '07
Four nights sleeping on the ground wasn't so bad--very comfortable, with all the bedding I took. I goofed, & took the smaller tent, but with the larger fly, so the rain stayed off us pretty well. But with the tent rods being too long, we had to jerry rig them, and the tent sagged lower every day! The heaviest rain was at night, and hearing that and the creek right beside us, it was easy to go to sleep. If we took cough medicine!
[Tent picture would go here, but our system is too slow. Sorry, can't do images.]
We went through Pendleton, Oregon, Saturday, and it was my first time at the woolen mill. I thought $8 per yard, some $5, was a good price, but the truck was loaded, & I thought we'd come back that way. But we wanted to see different country on the return, & did not, so we passed it up.
We arrived at the campground in late afternoon, & surprised SuperGeologist, who didn't expect us until Sunday. We went along with him to a bar in H_.com, Oregon, for dinner, where he was to see the woman who has been selling his books. He had just met her at the bar one time, & she wanted to sell his books. Which she has been doing--to locals. She does not have a store--she is a caregiver for a 98 year old woman. Herself, she is a piece of work. She had got all dressed up to have steak dinner with SuperG--wearing a red silk shirt, and black fringed vest, using a cane, hobbling along. Hair had been freshly dyed, & she was looking for a big night. SuperG was SO glad we went along with him! She wants more books to sell, and she could have talked all night. I couldn't understand everything she said. Mumbled a lot. What a night. We stayed longer than SuperG would have stayed on his own, that's for sure! We had fun.
The students and faculty were to arrive on Sunday afternoon, so in the morning we went with SuperG up on a high spot to count Indian burial sites that he had found previously. He had reported them to the power company that owns the land, and also to the state archaeologist. Somebody had removed the unusual marker stones, & he was disappointed. We counted at least a dozen, and had a good warm-up for the climbing to follow on Monday-Tuesday. We finally solved the mystery of spots--small circles, widely scattered, that had burned during the wildfire last summer. Conclusion: They had been dry piles of cow manure, & burned while the surrounding grass was green, unburned. It looked odd at first--black polka dots on the mountain.
That afternoon the sites studied were all along a road--it was 'stop, look & hammer', no climbing. SuperG is in great shape for 70 years old, & I sure can't keep up the entire time. By Tuesday afternoon I was resting by the river while he took the group to high ground. There were 32 total in the group: 8 or more professors, about 4 state geologists from Idaho & Oregon, grad students, some undergrads, SuperG, & us ( Barefoot Baker and geologist husband).
Monday and Tuesday both days started with a 30+ mile drive to the Hells Canyon Dam, about an hour. Below the dam we boarded a large jet boat. The three engines run pumps that suck in water that pushes out the back, and those drivers can turn on a dime, by deflecting the jet spray of water. There is no propeller, so they can go in low water, if the rocks are close to surface. It's really fun going either upriver or down, through the rapids.
We returned to the dam each night, and then had the one-hour winding drive back to the campground. Dark by the time supper was cooked. The first day we stopped at several places along the river, so we could climb up to outcrops & pound on rocks. At one place there were a couple little Native American pictographs painted on a rock face. At the last place we got out, we climbed up to intersect the trail, and then walked 3 miles to a restored homestead to meet the boat downstream. They said it was 3 miles, but I could swear to 6. Up & down, & zig zagging, I wonder if it was 3 river miles....? The scariest trail ever. Very narrow, some parts steep, but with a sheer drop to the left to the river. Up to Suicide Point, and then mostly down. For a ways, I was just ahead of a geologist who is afraid of heights. He was hugging the rock all the way, and not breathing well. He was scared to death. I asked if I should go behind him, but he said he'd rather have a steady walker just in front of him. Eventually somebody else got between us, and I was glad to see he got to the end.
I had read a book this winter [Home Below Hells Canyon, by Grace Jordan] by the woman who lived at the ranch, in the 1930s and 1940s, & I knew that her first time over Suicide Point was on horseback, so I figured I could go on foot. We met little kids with full packs! I don't know if I would want to do it with a heavy backpack, but people and mules and horses have been using that trail for many years. There were lots of stops while people studied the rocks, & it was not always possible to pass them, just wait & go on when they were ready. I was not about to swing out too close to the edge to pass! There were dogs with some hikers we met. It was easy enough to meet hikers, & pass, because I was on the inside!
On Tuesday, we went farther downstream to start, and climbed a good sized hill/mountain for a great view of the surrounding area. There was fresh snow that morning much higher. The spot we climbed to was a wind gap. Where the Bonneville Flood waters had left deposits, and it is now dry. "Where winds now blow, the waters used to flow."
After the descent to the boat, and hopping hard over the rocks on the bank, trying to avoid poison ivy, my leg had a funny feel, so I did not do the much steeper climb later that afternoon. My geologist husband stayed with me at the campground at the landing, (he took a nap on the bench and talked to the Forest Service guys he knows there), and I found a few fossils beside the river. Still have a little hitch in that lower leg, so it needs some more rest.
Early wildflowers are blooming low in the canyon close to the river. Days started out cold, but warmed nicely. March is a far superior time of year to be down there, instead of summer. The high mountains are deep in snow, and the lower reaches are green & blooming.
Four nights sleeping on the ground wasn't so bad--very comfortable, with all the bedding I took. I goofed, & took the smaller tent, but with the larger fly, so the rain stayed off us pretty well. But with the tent rods being too long, we had to jerry rig them, and the tent sagged lower every day! The heaviest rain was at night, and hearing that and the creek right beside us, it was easy to go to sleep. If we took cough medicine!
[Tent picture would go here, but our system is too slow. Sorry, can't do images.]
We went through Pendleton, Oregon, Saturday, and it was my first time at the woolen mill. I thought $8 per yard, some $5, was a good price, but the truck was loaded, & I thought we'd come back that way. But we wanted to see different country on the return, & did not, so we passed it up.
We arrived at the campground in late afternoon, & surprised SuperGeologist, who didn't expect us until Sunday. We went along with him to a bar in H_.com, Oregon, for dinner, where he was to see the woman who has been selling his books. He had just met her at the bar one time, & she wanted to sell his books. Which she has been doing--to locals. She does not have a store--she is a caregiver for a 98 year old woman. Herself, she is a piece of work. She had got all dressed up to have steak dinner with SuperG--wearing a red silk shirt, and black fringed vest, using a cane, hobbling along. Hair had been freshly dyed, & she was looking for a big night. SuperG was SO glad we went along with him! She wants more books to sell, and she could have talked all night. I couldn't understand everything she said. Mumbled a lot. What a night. We stayed longer than SuperG would have stayed on his own, that's for sure! We had fun.
The students and faculty were to arrive on Sunday afternoon, so in the morning we went with SuperG up on a high spot to count Indian burial sites that he had found previously. He had reported them to the power company that owns the land, and also to the state archaeologist. Somebody had removed the unusual marker stones, & he was disappointed. We counted at least a dozen, and had a good warm-up for the climbing to follow on Monday-Tuesday. We finally solved the mystery of spots--small circles, widely scattered, that had burned during the wildfire last summer. Conclusion: They had been dry piles of cow manure, & burned while the surrounding grass was green, unburned. It looked odd at first--black polka dots on the mountain.
That afternoon the sites studied were all along a road--it was 'stop, look & hammer', no climbing. SuperG is in great shape for 70 years old, & I sure can't keep up the entire time. By Tuesday afternoon I was resting by the river while he took the group to high ground. There were 32 total in the group: 8 or more professors, about 4 state geologists from Idaho & Oregon, grad students, some undergrads, SuperG, & us ( Barefoot Baker and geologist husband).
Monday and Tuesday both days started with a 30+ mile drive to the Hells Canyon Dam, about an hour. Below the dam we boarded a large jet boat. The three engines run pumps that suck in water that pushes out the back, and those drivers can turn on a dime, by deflecting the jet spray of water. There is no propeller, so they can go in low water, if the rocks are close to surface. It's really fun going either upriver or down, through the rapids.
We returned to the dam each night, and then had the one-hour winding drive back to the campground. Dark by the time supper was cooked. The first day we stopped at several places along the river, so we could climb up to outcrops & pound on rocks. At one place there were a couple little Native American pictographs painted on a rock face. At the last place we got out, we climbed up to intersect the trail, and then walked 3 miles to a restored homestead to meet the boat downstream. They said it was 3 miles, but I could swear to 6. Up & down, & zig zagging, I wonder if it was 3 river miles....? The scariest trail ever. Very narrow, some parts steep, but with a sheer drop to the left to the river. Up to Suicide Point, and then mostly down. For a ways, I was just ahead of a geologist who is afraid of heights. He was hugging the rock all the way, and not breathing well. He was scared to death. I asked if I should go behind him, but he said he'd rather have a steady walker just in front of him. Eventually somebody else got between us, and I was glad to see he got to the end.
I had read a book this winter [Home Below Hells Canyon, by Grace Jordan] by the woman who lived at the ranch, in the 1930s and 1940s, & I knew that her first time over Suicide Point was on horseback, so I figured I could go on foot. We met little kids with full packs! I don't know if I would want to do it with a heavy backpack, but people and mules and horses have been using that trail for many years. There were lots of stops while people studied the rocks, & it was not always possible to pass them, just wait & go on when they were ready. I was not about to swing out too close to the edge to pass! There were dogs with some hikers we met. It was easy enough to meet hikers, & pass, because I was on the inside!
On Tuesday, we went farther downstream to start, and climbed a good sized hill/mountain for a great view of the surrounding area. There was fresh snow that morning much higher. The spot we climbed to was a wind gap. Where the Bonneville Flood waters had left deposits, and it is now dry. "Where winds now blow, the waters used to flow."
After the descent to the boat, and hopping hard over the rocks on the bank, trying to avoid poison ivy, my leg had a funny feel, so I did not do the much steeper climb later that afternoon. My geologist husband stayed with me at the campground at the landing, (he took a nap on the bench and talked to the Forest Service guys he knows there), and I found a few fossils beside the river. Still have a little hitch in that lower leg, so it needs some more rest.
Early wildflowers are blooming low in the canyon close to the river. Days started out cold, but warmed nicely. March is a far superior time of year to be down there, instead of summer. The high mountains are deep in snow, and the lower reaches are green & blooming.
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