In the Kitchen
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The five best culinary herbs
HERBS ADD FLAVOR to any dish. Simple to grow, herbs can be planted in small spaces like pots. If you have room for just a few herbs, you must include my favorite versatile five.
Basil
Basil is not “just” basil. You can grow the traditional ‘Genovese’ basil that is commonly used in pesto. But you can also grow lime basil, lemon basil, Thai basil, spicy globe basil, purple basil ... and all of them are easy to grow in a sunny spot. They like welldrained, fertile soil and regular watering. They will start to bolt once the weather gets hot. But to prevent that, just harvest basil often.. You can start with transplants, or direct sow basil right in the garden after your last frost date. Basil takes a while to grow and needs hot, sunny weather. I purchase plants and get them in the ground as soon as possible. Then I sow several more rows so I have plenty to use during the season.
Parsley
Curly parsley or flat-leaf parsley are both pretty easy to grow, but can be a bit tricky to start from seed because of their long germination times. However, you can find transplants just about everywhere. I prefer the flat leaf parsley as the flavor seems to be stronger. This is the go-to herb for almost any dish and it is also a really nice garnish to any plate. Grow parsley the same as basil and you can harvest it all season long. I do the same thing: Buy some seedlings and sow seeds for later harvests. Another plus is that flatleaf parsley can survive some colder temperatures. This past year my parsley stayed green until almost the middle of November. Temps must get well below freezing before the parsley finally succumbs to the cold.
Chives
Chives are very easy to start, from seed sown indoors six weeks before your last frost date or from transplants. Both the foliage and the flowers are edible. The flowers make a beautiful addition to salads, as well as gorgeous herbal vinegars. The flowers are very strong, so use sparingly. When using fresh in cooking use at the last moment before serving. Chives work well on sauces and as a garnish for any dish. Chives are a member of the onion family so adding chives to any recipe calling for onions would be a nice addition. Chives grow best in full sun to partial shade and need fertile, welldrained soil and regular watering. Chives transplant very well. When the original bush looks very thick, dig a piece off the side and replant in another spot. It is best to have several plants in case one ever freezes out.
Sage
Sage is a perennial herb, so once you’ve planted it in your garden; you’re likely to have plenty of sage for years to come. It is fairly easy to grow from seed, but transplants are easy to find and work the best. Sage needs full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. Once established, sage needs very little care. Experiment with different types of sage. Pineapple sage has tubular red flowers and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. It can be used in the same dishes that call for regular garden sage. Purple sage is less hardy but, once established, usually comes back year after year. The deep purple looks great in fresh cut flower bouquets and on a plate.
Thyme
Thyme is available both in upright and flat spreading forms, as well as in variegated forms, so it really does double-duty as an ornamental. It is a short-lived perennial, most often done in by too much moisture. Thyme requires full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. Like sage, it requires very little care once it’s established in your garden. My favorite variety is creeping thyme, which has small flowers of various colors and makes an excellent ground cover. I don’t use it in cooking much as I prefer culinary thyme. English and German thyme are culinary thymes that work well in very small amounts and are used widely in soups, stews and sauces. Lemon thyme has a distinct lemon scent and grows well in a container. It pairs well with fish and chicken or any recipe that calls for lemon juice, zest or lemon flavoring. All of these herbs work well for drying to use in the winter or for chopping fresh and mixing with a stick of softened unsalted butter for herb butter. Wrap the herb butter in clear plastic and freeze. Then slice onto vegetables, breads, steaks and burgers all year long. Herbs grow well in small pots and like to be crowded. They really need warm sun, so be sure to plant where they will receive at least six hours of strong sunlight. Keep them watered well during the summer. Some can take the heat a bit more with less water. Herbs make a great companion to any flower, so mingle herbs with plantings in beds or in pots. They will produce enough to provide you and your friends with herbs all summer and winter long.
Chris leads Cooking in the Country with Chris cooking classes. To see her current class schedule go to cjinspirations.wordpress.com.
Recipes - Good Eats |
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Chicken in Basil Cream Makes 4 servings Place milk and bread crumbs in separate, shallow bowls. In skillet, heat butter to medium. Dip chicken in milk, then coat with crumbs. Cook in butter on both sides, until juices run clear (about 10 minutes). Remove and keep warm. Add broth to skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir to loosen browned bits from pan. Stir in cream and peppers; boil and stir for 1 minute. Reduce heat. Add Parmesan cheese, basil and pepper. Stir sauce and cook until heated through. Pour mixture over chicken and serve. |
Lemon Chive Pan Sauce 1 medium shallot To make the sauce, add the minced shallot to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until softened for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broth, slowly at first, then increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the liquid to 3/4 cup, which takes about 5 minutes. Remove from burner and whisk in lemon juice and minced chives. Add butter and stir using whisk until melted. Season with salt and pepper, then spoon over meat such as chicken or fish. |
Grilled Pizza with Yellow Squash, Mozzarella and Lemon Thyme Remove plastic wrap from 2 pieces of rolled-out pizza dough (if grill is not large, work with 1 piece at a time, keeping remaining piece chilled) and lightly brush dough with some garlic oil. Trying not to stretch dough, carefully transfer it, oiled side down, with your hands to rack of grill. (If it’s a very hot day, the dough may get too soft to transfer easily; if so, pop it into the freezer until firm again, about 15 minutes.) Take the chopped garlic and put into olive oil. Warm slightly in small saucepan or microwave. Lightly brush top with some garlic oil. When grilling pizzas, rotate them if one side of grill is hotter than the other. Grill crusts, covered, until undersides are golden brown on bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip crusts over with 2 metal spatulas or large pancake spatula and top each crust with half of cheeses, squash, and thyme. Lightly brush pizzas with some garlic oil and grill, covered, about 5 minutes, or until undersides are golden brown and cheeses are melted. Garnish pizzas with thyme sprigs and cut into wedges. You can also make this on your pizza stone in the oven. Lightly cook one side, turn over, add ingredients and finish baking. |
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Herbal VinegarsHerbal vinegar is one of the simplest ways to use herbs. Pick them in their freshest state. Don’t just use them for salad dressing. Use them to dress up spreads like mayonnaise, sauces and all types of appetizers. Vinegars do not have to be limited to herbs. Try edible flowers as well. They make wonderful anytime- of-the-year gifts. They will last for months but it is best to use within a year. Try to combine more than one herb such as sage and thyme. You can also use different types of vinegar — a simple white or red, rice apple cider or perhaps a raspberry. Follow these simple steps and you will soon have a batch ready to use: Rinse and thoroughly dry your choice of fresh herbs or edible flowers. Sterilize your bottles or jars and let them dry thoroughly. Slightly bruise the herbs and stuff them into the bottles. Fill the jar about one-third full with herbs and flowers. Shake the bottle as you insert the herbs, to distribute them. Bring the vinegar to a boil and carefully pour into the bottles and over the herbs. Fill half of the bottle or jar. Allow to cool and seal the bottles. Refrigerate and allow to steep for 1 to 2 weeks. Herbs and flowers can then be strained out, to prolong the life of your vinegar. But they do look pleasing in the bottle, just be sure to use as quickly as possible. Keep refrigerated. |
Butternut Squash and Sage BiscuitsMakes 8-10 biscuits 21/4 cups all-purpose flour Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor add the flour, baking powder, sage, salt and black pepper, pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles coarse meal, about 5-6 pulses. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butternut squash puree, milk and sugar. Add to the flour mixture and pulse just until combined but still crumbly. Turn out onto a floured board and knead lightly to bring the dough together. Pat out into a 1-inch thick round and cut out biscuits and add to the baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the biscuits are lightly browned and puffed. |
2 prepared pizza crusts