Using and Preserving Summer Herbs: Rosemary Comes to Dinner

I've been friends with Rosemary for a long time now. When we first met, she was dry, and her disposition sharp.  When we talked, I always seemed to get her caught in my teeth.  And I couldn't seem to appreciate her harshness.

However, as the years wore on, I found that there were many sides to Rosemary.  If I caught her in the morning, fresh from the garden, her smell was intoxicating -- a bit like fresh pine boughs, and filled with the earth.  But, if left alone for too long, she grew parched and brittle, and her perfume would start to smell astringent.

Her marriage to garlic is almost too good to be true. But, it's taken many years of practice.  When they first met, they both tried to hog the spotlight. Inevitably, one of them ended up wounded or broken. But, over the years the two lovers have learned to move together in perfect harmony. And everyone is happier -- including the neighbors.

Although she turns some people off with her assertiveness, I'm Rosemary's biggest fan. You always know where you stand when you're with her. And there's no hiding behind false pretenses. She puts herself right out there in front, and you can't help but notice her.  And I'll be honest, that's a big part of her appeal.

I had her over for dinner the other night. At first, we were uncertain about what to make. So, we took a trip to the supermarket. Rosemary pointed to the tender young Strauss free-raised veal shanks and smiled. I knew then that we were in for something special.

 She took me by the arm and led me back into the kitchen. And that's where the lessons began.  I learned to rely on the basics -- celery, onions, carrots, a splash of white wine, and very good chicken stock.  But, she also taught me to think outside the box -- adding petitely diced guanciale, briny anchovy filets, last summer's dried Principe Borghese tomatoes, and (of course) a generous helping of garlic.

As the ingredients simmered, I was mesmerized by how the ingredients danced together -- playing off of one another's strengths, waxing and waning and gradually mellowing.  And, as the components came together, they formed a symphony of flavors... of colors...

With Rosemary at the helm, I began to realize that it couldn't help but become a thing of beauty.  So, I reliquished control. While Rosemary worked her magic, I pulled together a pot of risotto. Simple. Elegant. Embellished only by a grating of Carr Valley Gran Canaria -- an intensely nutty cheese that I figured would be the perfect match for Rosemary's intensity.

The dance took almost two hours to complete, but when we finished, I wasn't even tired. In fact, I felt invigorated. Delighted. Inspired. And as we finished, I couldn't help but savor those final bits of sauce -- deliciously unctuous and smooth, subtly herbal, and ... well, perfect.

Sometimes there's nothing like a new dinner with an old friend.


Osso Buco with Rosemary & Sundried Tomatoes

This guest post wraps up our Summer 2010 Herb Series: Using and Preserving Herbs. Thanks to everyone for making this series such a great success!  And we wish you much luck making use of your bountiful harvest.


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Using and Preserving Summer Herbs: Drying Herbs

And now a bit of wisdom from Melissa, the divinely inspired mistress of the blog Gluten Free for Good.
 
I’ve followed Peef and Lo’s quirky, well-written, informative and spirited blog for years now. With a name like BURP, you'd better be entertaining – and they deliver in fine form. When Lo asked me to guest-post during their “preserving summer herbs” series, I jumped (okay, crawled reluctantly) at the chance. Summer is a crazy time for me, but I like their style and felt honored to be asked. As a compromise to my work schedule, I dug around in my composter and pulled out an old post I did on drying herbs. Please forgive me if you’ve read it before, but I do think (especially with fall around the corner), it’s a good idea to rethink saving herbs for the long, cold winter. Whether you’re in Wisconsin or Colorado, it’s nice to pull out a jar of your very own dried herbs to throw in soups or stews on those snowy winter days.

Here’s my version of drying herbs, with a short preamble to go with the quirky ambiance of BURP.

Herbs and spices have been used for medicinal purposes throughout history. I often mention specific health-promoting properties when describing an herb or spice in a recipe. Aside from their appetizing flavors and aromas, most are filled with various beneficial vitamins and minerals.

And wasn’t it Cleopatra who used herbs to seduce men? Or was it incense she used? Milk baths? Probably all of the above. Or, maybe it was this lounging-around-topless look. Whatever it was, she went down in history as being quite the shrewd temptress. (But I digress.)

How to dry rosemary, marjoram and dill


What you do 


1. Snip herbs, leaving them with long stems. Tie the herbs together and hang them in a dry, dark and well-ventilated area. Hanging them from cabinets in the kitchen is a nice look, but you do want to keep them dry and clean. I moved these from my pantry to a well-lit area to take the photo. You can also put a paper lunch sack around them (poke a few air holes in the sack). That way they’re in the dark and protected from dust.
2. Leave for 2 to 4 weeks, checking occasionally to see if they are adequately dry. Some take longer than others. If they crumble and fall apart when you rub them between your fingers, they’re ready to store.
3. Store them in clean glass jars. I like to keep them intact in relatively long pieces until I want to use them, then I take a piece out and remove the dried leaves. Label, date them and store them away from heat and light. They last six months to a year.

Go forth and dry your herbs. Doing it Cleopatra style is an option. 

~Melissa

We've loved Melissa ever since the first day we stepped foot onto her blog, Gluten Free for Good. Both Melissa and her daughter have been diagnosed with celiac disease, so her mission is to "increase awareness of celiac disease and help people navigate the gluten-free lifestyle with confidence, strength, optimal nutrition, and renewed vitality."  And she does a mighty fine job, if we do say so ourselves. Her site is filled with delicious recipes including spinach pesto (with oregano & dill), basil, mint, and walnut pesto, and quinoa and corn salad (with that powerhouse herb, cilantro). 


This guest post is part of our Summer 2010 Herb Series: Using and Preserving Herbs. Stay tuned every Friday for more hints, tips and tricks on how to use summer's bounty!


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Using and Preserving Herbs: Herbal Salt

It’s far too simple, really – an herbal salt.
Some might say it almost doesn’t warrant a blog post.
And yet… for me, herbed salt was somewhat of a life-changing discovery.

A sprinkling of rosemary salt transformed a simple plate of grilled spring asparagus into something quite remarkable. It elevated a humble piece of white fish to an entirely new level. It made roasted breakfast potatoes into a treat. And it promoted a humble roasted green bean into something else entirely.

And rosemary salt was only the beginning. There was also the basil salt which brought new life to the last of the summer tomatoes, the mint salt that paired so swimmingly with slices of vodka-soaked watermelon. And the lavender and thyme salt that seasoned many a roasted chicken during the darkest months of winter.

The best part is how easy herbed salt is to make.
It takes virtually no preparation, aside from carefully washing and drying your herbs. And the only equipment you need is an ordinary coffee grinder... or a mortar and pestle, if you're willing to put a little bit of muscle into the process.

We like to use a coarse-grained sea salt -- which contains less sodium than refined table salt, as well as a plethora of trace minerals, including iron, sulfur, and magnesium.  Our favorite brand happens to be coarse-ground Real Salt -- which is made from mined rock salt, which means it hasn't been exposed to a kiln-drying process that robs salt of its beneficial properties.

We usually make our herbal salt as needed, but even the freshly ground salt keeps for a few days if stored in an airtight jar.  That said, you can also prepare herbal salt for extended storage by drying it in the oven (see instructions below).

If you're particularly inspired, we suggest making large batches of dried herbal salt, packaging them in attractive bottles (you can buy bottles here), tying them with a bit of ribbon, and giving them as gifts. Pair a few bottles of herbal salt with a jar of mixed peppercorns or a selection of recipes using herbal salts.

Herbal Salt
Crispy roasted green beans with rosemary salt 

Alright – your turn.
How will you use your next batch of herbed salt?


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Using and Preserving Summer Herbs: Herby Baked Eggs

And now for a bit of herbalicious conversation from Rebecca over at CakeWalk...

I was really excited when I heard that Burp! was doing a Summer Herb Series, and even more flattered that they asked me to write something about one of my favorite herby things.  I like to garden in the broadest sense of the word.  I may not find the time to tend to as large a garden as I'd like, but no matter what, I always plant many types of herbs.  They seem to take to whatever conditions I subject them to, they seem to thrive on a bit of neglect, and the reward for such little effort is astounding.  Summer herbs are one of lifes most affordable luxuries, and I think one of my favorite ways to enjoy them is by using different combinations in baked eggs.

I first saw the original recipe when Ina Garten made it on Barefoot Contessa.  Ina is rather famous for her Hamptons-ish lifestyle, and her gardens that are regularly featured on her show and in her cookbooks are truly worthy of envy.  In fact, I used to love watching her show just to see glimpses of her hedges of rosemary!  I guess I like to imagine myself able to have an enormous garden, and maybe even a private gardener to make it all thrive... weed-free and well designed, like I can never seem to manage myself.

To bake her eggs, she used her beautiful Apilco gratin dishes, and  a mixture of different herbs with Parmesan cheese and baked the eggs under a broiler.  It was such an easy thing, and yet seemed so sophisticated - at least to me:  a home cook as far from Ina's Hamptons living as she is to say the Kendall Corn and Beer Bust (...yes, that is an actual event in rural Kendall, WI, and yes, I have attended.)

The greatest thing about this recipe is that it is so adaptable in summer.  To make it in the winter, you would need to find small amounts of several types of herbs.  Not only that, but it allows for several egg eaters to dine at once, allowing a hostess to eat with her guest(s), which is always a good thing.

My only oven to table dishes aren't as elegant as Ina's, but really you only need something that is oven safe not to crack under high heat.  I have some shallow, porcelain dishes that I like to use, and have even cooked up to 4 eggs at once (to serve 2 of us) in one of my 6 inch square ones.  Ina's original recipe calls for 3 eggs per person, but I rarely break the 2 egg limit myself.  I also like to load up on the herbs, and use a bit more than she calls for.  After all, fresh herb season is fleeting, and I like to indulge where I can.

You can easily adapt the herbs to the varieties that you have growing, or that you prefer.  I let my parsley go to seed, and decided to chop up some of the bolted fronds after tasting their "parsley-ness".  I think a Mexican version would be good, using cilantro, oregano (or Mexican oregano if you have it) and using cotija cheese instead of parmesan.  I may try this soon myself, since I grew a new Mexican herb this summer that I never tried before: papalo.  I'd bet it would be really good with eggs.

Knowing, and agreeing, with Peef and Lo's commitment to local and organic ingredients, I used a Parmesan cheese made in Wisconsin, rendering this dish 100% from our state.  Country Connection makes a variety of cheese that is a bit softer than it's imported cousin, but still has the trace of granulated saline bite that I love about Parmesan.  It's easy to find locally at Outpost, and I've been enjoying it in all sorts of things.

I use the recipe amounts per ramekin, but you can use more or less to your tastes.  You can also bake the dish for less time if you prefer runnier egg yolks.  I let mine get pretty well done this time, and part of the yolks were cooked hard, part were runny.  Exactly what I was aiming for!

Herby Baked Eggs (adapted from Ina Garten)
1 serving

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 t. garlic, minced
• 1/4 t. thyme, minced (I used lemon thyme)
• 1/4 t. rosemary, minced
• 1 T. minced parsley
• 1 T. grated Parmesan cheese (Country Connection, available at Outpost)
• 1 T. half and half (Crystal Ball Farms, also available at Outpost), I eyeball this, just a splash in the bottom of the ramekin.
• 1 T. butter
• salt
• pepper

Preheat broiler to high for 5 minutes and place oven rack 6 inches below the heat.

Combine garlic, herbs, Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.  Crack eggs into another waiting cup or small dish.  (Ina notes that it is important to have everything ready to go before you begin to cook.)

Put the gratin or ramekin you are using as a baking dish on a sheet pan.  Add butter and cream to ramekin and place under the broiler until butter melts and gets bubbly, about 3 minutes.  Remove from oven, and quickly and carefully add the eggs.  Sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, and put back under the broiler.  Bake for 5-6 minutes until eggs are cooked to your preference.  Watch carefully towards the end of the time so that they don't brown too much.  The eggs will also continue to cook for a minute or so after you remove them from the oven.

Serve with bread or toast, I used the Lahey Bacon Bread, which made this just about perfect as far as breakfasts go - not that it wouldn't make a perfectly delectable lunch or dinner as well.

It's difficult to know where to start describing the wonder that is CakeWalk, the brain child of my own personal friend, Rebecca Gagnon. She started her Milwaukee area food blog in 2009 -- and hasn't looked back. Whether she's baking up incredible breads as part of her Lahey Project or cooking up Vegan delights, she manages to bring plenty of wisdom and whimsy to everything she's cooking up in the kitchen.  Rebecca claims she has no idea where CakeWalk is heading. But, what I do know is that I'm eager to follow wherever she leads! 

This guest post is part of our Summer 2010 Herb Series: Using and Preserving Herbs. Stay tuned every Friday for more hints, tips, and tricks on how to use summer's bounty!


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Using and Preserving Summer Herbs: Parsley

This week's herb post is brought to you by Tina -- half of the duo over at Choosy Beggars!

I was delighted when Lo asked me to do a post using summer herbs. After all, it's only the end of July and already my herb garden looks like the Sinharajah forest. I consider this to be nature's way of trying to appease my suffering after long winter months of muttering and moaning, forced to pull dried basil off the spice rack (horrors!!) or substitute dried oregano in my tomato sauce. I love having an abundance of fresh herbs around the house, and find that I'm always looking for new ways to use the summer's bounty.

I will freely admit that sometimes I'm ambivalent to the dried versus fresh controversy that surrounds many herbs, but there is one where I absolutely, positively, no question about it, will NOT use dried, and that is my good friend and favorite herb: parsley. Of course that would be the herb that I begged, pleaded and cajoled to talk about today.

Yes, parsley. That's my go-to herb. I know, right? What good has parsley ever done for you, other than providing a limp garnish on the side of your lasagna at the Olive Garden, or being sprinkled in a lackluster way around a suspicious looking entree at Applebys? At best, parsley is widely known as a garnish with dubious aesthetic potential. However, I know that we can challenge that notion. Poor ol' parsley is always getting passed over on our lists of "Top 10", but truth be told it is one of the most underrated herbs in your garden. Parsley may be modest, frequently content adding naught but a faint aroma to your stock through a bouquet garni, or used to finish and brighten a potato salad, but there's so much more to the herb than that! We're talking salads, folks. We're talking soups, seasonings, dressings and the elusive scent in a perfectly juicy roasted chicken. By the end of this article, I hope that you'll agree; parsley is where it's at.
Come with me, won't you? Let's explore the wonders that this humble herb has to offer....

Varieties of Parsley
There are two common varieties of parsley that you'll see in the average market. "Curly parsley" is characterized by tall stems with densely packed bouquets of curling leaves. The second variety, "Flat leaf" or "Italian parsley" looks similar to cilantro, with long elegant stems branching out into broad, flat leaves. Flat leaf parsley is more likely to be the cook's choice because the flavor is slightly sweeter than curly parsley, but at the same time it has more of a peppery, robust flavor. As for me, I don't play favorites. I'll take them both, and at once given half a chance.

The third widespread variety of parsley is grown not for it's leaves, which may surprise you, but for it's roots. More common in Europe than North America, parsley root looks similar to a nice fat parsnip, but the flavor is worlds away. Slightly sweet but bright, fresh and green, parsley root tastes like a delicate cross between celery root and, well, parsley. If you have seen this root vegetable around but were hesitant to try it, don't be. You may find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Beyond Culinary Usage
Discussion about the medicinal uses of parsley is varied. Most of us have heard about chewing parsley to combat some of the symptoms of halitosis, particularly after a decidedly delicious second helping of garlic bread, but there is a lot of other speculation on this fine herb's benefits. Some herbologists will recommend parsley tea to help control high blood pressure, while others use it as a "tonic to strengthen the bladder" (read: questionable diuretic). Some studies suggest that parsley can be a kideny stimulant that increases diruesis, while others suggest that parsley aids in the body's ability to uptake manganese which builds strong bones.

Folk lore even indicates that rubbing crushed parsley on the skin will reduce the itching of mosquito bites, but as a happy cottage dweller in Northern Ontario I can tell you that I find that one to be a load of malarkey that was probably started by the peppermint patch.

We've heard a lot about "super foods" lately, and more often than not you'll see parsley up there bumping elbows with the blueberries, flax seeds and walnut pieces at the front of the class. Many proponents of a "super foods diet" encourage increased consumption of parsley to act as a stress buster, get you "moving" (with the dietary fiber), keep your eyes bright and your bones strong. If that weren’t enough, it’s also thought to reduce depression, lower cholesterol and strengthen your kidneys. What a super food, indeed!

Parsley as a Garnish
When we talk about using parsley as a garnish, I can assure you that I am NOT referring to the feeble sprig plopped on top of your spaghetti bolognese. I'm a proponent of the classically gastronomic definition of a garnish, which basically states that a garnish is something that enhances a dish before serving using an edible decoration or accompaniment, which is both appealing to the eye and complimentary to the flavor of the dish.

One of my favorite examples would be gremolata. Classic gremolata is a bright and pungent mixture of finely minced parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. Sprinkled over a deep and luscious slow braised Osso Bucco or beef shank, gremolata cuts through the richness of the meat to brighten and excite the palate. Equally good on chicken, steak, or even sweet and fatty seafood, gremolata is equal parts aesthete and flavor enhancer. Better yet, you can play with the flavors as you see fit. One of my favorites is a preserved lemon and parsley gremolata to serve on top of a cheap surf'n'turf (flank steak and shrimp kebabs).

Variations of a pungent and fresh parsley garnish are abundant across the globe. For example, the French equivalent of gremolata would be persillade, with vampire thwarting amounts of chopped garlic tempered by parsley's delicate charm.

As you travel south and temperatures start to heat up, the parsley garnish gets a little bit pluckier. By the time you hit Argentina, Chile and Brazil, our garnish has transformed into a cross between a sauce and an acidic vinaigrette, always used more as a condiment than a garnish. Such is the beauty of chimichurri sauce, which has as many variations as it has cooks to make it. The quintessential condiment on many Latin American tables, chimichurri is a blend of parsley, garlic and acid. Sometimes there might be a smidge of onion, other green herbs like cilantro or thyme, and maybe even a little heat to spice things up with dried chili. There is really no way to go wrong with chimichurri, but after trying chimichurri on steak, grilled fish, pork kebabs and as a sandwich spread, you will find yourself thinking that the ways to go right are endless. Chimichurri speaks to our experimental instincts, and if you want some good guidance on how to make a basic sauce you can find it at Eating Club Vancouver. If you're a recipe person, however, I'm more than happy to share what I put in mine.

Parsley as a Salad
Confession: I am half Lebanese. This fact, in and of itself, explains my affection for gold painted floor lamps in the shape of exotic birds, showing my affection by YELLING REALLY LOUD ON THE PHONE, and having a bunch of parsley in my fridge at all times. You might have grown up with Caesar or House, but I grew up with tabouli salad, a Middle Eastern side dish of very finely minced parsley with a smattering of bulghar (cracked wheat), tomatoes, and just a hint of onion. No Lebanese meal is complete without a bowl of tabouli on the table, and my father's tabouli is so legendary among my peer group that friends would actually say (to my face, no less), "Yeah, let's get together this weekend! Maybe we can, you know, I dunno, go see your parents or something? For dinner? Is your dad home?" That's the kind of fealty that a good tabouli salad can inspire, taming teenagers and tasteful eaters alike.

If you were looking for a more urbane and modern approach to parsley salad, an emerging trend in some finer restaurants is a spin off on the Thai tradition of mixed herb bundles dipped in a tart vinaigrette. There is a fabulous French restaurant in my home town which serves a little amuse bouche before the meal, comprised of a sprig of parsley and mint tied with chives and dipped into a light white wine and shallot vinaigrette. So simple, but packed with flavor and utterly able to entice your taste-buds, fresh parsley can be a small salad and appetite stimulant rolled into one neat, little pouch.

Parsley Soup
One of my best friends likes to tell the story of the time she went in for super-secret-day-surgery and, of course, being the nosy Nelly that I am, I somehow found out. I promptly mobilized into action, determined to lift her spirits and soothe her soul through the auspices of soup. Two hours later I was at her doorstep with fresh bread, a creamy (but lactose free) parsley root soup, and a chicken soup with plenty of parsley and fresh marjoram. I'm telling you -- parsley is the salve for an aching body and mind. If parsley root soup doesn't tweak your imagination, why not try a traditional Irish parsley & potato soup with some fresh brown bread? Or, if you're not quite confident enough to use parsley as the winning flavor, it makes a fabulous and flavorlicious garnish for rich and creamy soups, such as our fine host lo's hearty potato soup.

Dressing Things Up
Dress me up and tie me down! The most common way for parsley to find it's way to your table is through a dressing. Whether it is on the side of a simple grilled salmon, a slow cooked beef pot roast, or even an Irish corned beef and cabbage, buttered parsley potatoes are always in style.

Parsley and potatoes are a match made in heaven. Warm or cold, a parsley rich potato salad is sure to be a hit on the potluck table. You could go for a classic, like a bacon laden parsley and potato salad, or this version which is rich with garlic and olives. All you need is a light vinaigrette, a smattering of salt, and a bunch or fresh parsley and you're bound to find a winner.

Parsley is just as good on a dressing for greens, and a classic Eastern salad is simply chopped watery lettuce, tomato and onion with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, and plenty of finely chopped fresh parsley. Simple but beautiful, it makes up in flavor what it lacks in sophistication. Or, if you were looking for a spin, nothing says freshness quite like a preserved lemon vinaigrette with parsley and mint.

I spoke a bit about "super foods" earlier, and now that we're on the topic of salads I just can't help coming back. I love salads made from whole grains or heart healthy ingredients, and being a bit of a keener I like to pack all of my favorite ingredients into one dish. One dish...to rule the world!! At least, I certainly feel like I could rule the world after eating a big bowl of parsley rich quinoa superfoods salad, packed with walnuts, goji berries, soy beans and chili powder, as well as a great big bunch of fresh parsley.

Season To Taste
What is the difference between an Argentinian meatloaf and just....meatloaf? PARSLEY.

Why is kafta more like a religion than just meat on a stick? PARSLEY.

When it acts more like a seasoning than a garnish, parsley teases the best out of rich, moist meats like ground beef which can sometimes be rather bland. Even a sub-par package of ground beef can still get the allstar treatment when it is mixed with finely chopped parsley and onion, a hint of cinnamon and a wee dash of red chili. Grilled over a hot flame, kafta is the thing that exotic BBQ dreams are made of.

There are many ways to incorporate parsley into your dish as a seasoning rather than just a fluttering garnish, and the key is to remember that the flavor of parsley really does add to the overall dish. For example, what would Burp Blog's Orechiette with roasted eggplant and ricotta be without the parsley? Well, probably a titillating pasta scented with exotic cinnamon and cocoa, languidly wrapping around earthy rich toasted walnuts with a sexy shower of salty pecorino romano. Oh hell, I've been drooling ever since I first saw that recipe and evidently I haven't stopped. Go. Make it. Make their pasta, but be sure to add the parsley while you're at it.


The Final Flavor Enhancer
One of the reasons that parsley is so often an unsung hero is that it often plays a supporting role in our cast of culinary characters. Bundled up with stage stealers like rosemary and thyme, or the deep dark mutterings of black peppercorn, parsley often just quietly hums along in the background, enriching our stocks with an earthy green flair. A classic and indispensable ingredient of the bouquet garni, which is an exclusive assortment of herbs selected for their flavoring potential and all tied up with a neat little bow, parsley is in it for the long haul and deserves to be treated with the respect owed to classic French cuisine.

As a final homage to the flavor enhancing properties of parsley, think of the enthusiasm you feel as you cram them up the sun-don't-shine end of your fresh plucked poultry, before stuffing in half a lemon and calling it a day. Nothing says comfort like a nice roast chicken, and nothing says delicious like a roast chicken stuffed with aromatic parsley, garlic and lemon as it cooks.

Alright, so we've been through soups and salads, dressings and seasonings, and the multitude of ways that you can use parsley in everything from your morning cuppa to your Sunday night dinner. I hope that you're starting to see why parsley is my favorite fresh herb, and why I would go to the ends of the earth to encourage you to nurture it, cultivate it, and eat it every chance you get. This herb is so much more than just a bit of dried greenery feathered along the edge of your plate. There is absolutely a world of fun and flavor to explore with parsley, and the ship sets sail tonight. Or tomorrow. Well, or whenever you realize what you've been missing out on all this time, and decide that parsley is the way to go, y'all. I'll see you at the Farmer's Market this Sunday!

The Choosy Beggars are Tina and Mike, a pair of life-loving amateur chefs and mixologists, just trying to get by on mortal salaries. At least that's how they describe themselves.  I'll add that they tell a good story, and their blog is as much a great place to find a good hearty laugh as it is to find a great meal. We'd encourage you to saunter on over and check out what they've got to offer -- we're absolutely positive you're going to love them. And, just in case they didn't entice you enough with all the recipe suggestions in the above post, there are plenty of other herbilicious delights over on the Choosy Beggars site, including Lemony Orechiette with Fresh Fava, Feta and Dill and Herb Marinated Bocconcini Balls .

This guest post is part of our Summer 2010 Herb Series: Using and Preserving Herbs. Stay tuned every Friday for more hints, tips, and tricks on how to use summer's bounty!


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Using and Preserving Summer Herbs: Tarragon

And now, please give your full attention to Anna from Tallgrass Kitchen!

Tarragon is the sexy herb – it isn’t a workhorse like parsley, or an icon like basil. It doesn’t cross cultures as easily as cilantro, but there’s something about it. It’s oh-so-French, and therefore, elegant. It’s the little black dress of herbs – you don’t wear it everyday, but when you do – watch out boys!

Tarragon is a member of the famous French herb mix ‘fines herbes’ (accompanied by chervil, parsley, and chives), which dresses up chicken, fish, eggs, and salad dressings. It is also the principal herb flavoring in béarnaise sauce. It has a very distinctive, strong taste – primarily anise, a little bit sweet, a bit astringent. A little goes a long way.

It’s easy to grow, although if you are north of hardiness zone 5, you need to either mulch it over the winter, or grow it in a pot. Mine is in a small pot that I bring into the garage each winter – it goes dormant, and then sprouts anew in the spring. There are two varieties of tarragon – French, and Russian. The French has a purer, stronger taste, and the Russian is a bit bitter. French is preferred, so be careful when purchasing at a nursery. French tarragon must be grown from cuttings, not seed. You can dry tarragon, but it loses much of its pungency. Freezing is favored – you can either freeze the leaves in a plastic bag, or put in an ice cube tray with a bit of water to melt into soups, marinades, etc.

Tarragon lends itself easily to savory or sweet dishes, as in the recipes below.

Blueberry Tarragon Ice Pops

makes ten 3 oz popsicles

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

3 sprigs of fresh tarragon

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Additional ¾ cup water

1)      Create a simple syrup by bringing 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add tarragon sprigs, and let steep for 30-60 minutes. Strain syrup and discard solids.

2)      In blender, purée blueberries and ¾ cup water until very smooth. If you don’t have a blender that can achieve a silky texture, it is worth the extra step of pushing the liquid through a fine sieve to get rid of the blueberry skins.

3)      Combine simple syrup and blueberry mixture, and freeze in ice pop molds according to manufacturer directions. If you don’t have molds, you can use small paper cups or ice cube trays – put in wooden popsicle sticks or toothpicks after about an hour of freezing, or put plastic wrap over your homemade molds to hold the sticks in place.

Tarragon Deviled Eggs

makes 1 dozen servings

6 eggs, hard-boiled and peeled

3 T mayonnaise

2 T Dijon mustard

1 tsp tarragon or sherry vinegar

1 tsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped, plus more for sprinkling

Salt and pepper to taste

1)      Hard-boil eggs with your preferred method (I put the eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, turn off and cover for 12 minutes, then I move the eggs to a bowl of ice water) and peel. Carefully cut eggs in half, and remove yolks. In medium bowl, add yolks, and all remaining ingredients – mayo through salt and pepper. Mix with a fork or electric mixer until very smooth.

2)      Pipe or spoon yolk mixture into hollows of egg halves. Sprinkle with remaining finely chopped tarragon.

Note: I saw a great tip in a Cook’s Country cookbook – the day before making deviled eggs, lay eggs on their side to center the yolk for an extra pretty presentation.  But if you gotta have your deviled eggs now, it’s fine by me to skip this step!

Other delightful ways to use tarragon:

-          Combine a few tablespoons of honey and Dijon mustard with 1-2 teaspoons of fresh tarragon for a chicken marinade.

-          Soften a stick of butter, add a pinch of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of fresh tarragon. Roll into a log and chill. Slice and let melt over just cooked salmon.

-          Tarragon is a classic flavoring for vinegar – let several sprigs steep in a bottle of white or red wine vinegar for a few weeks. Strain out herb and enjoy in salad dressings.

-          With a spoon or bench scraper, rub a teaspoon of fresh tarragon into ¼ cup of sugar. Sprinkle over strawberries, and serve with a bit of unsweetened whipped cream.

 

Anna, another Wisconsin food blogger, started Tallgrass Kitchen in January 2010.  From granola bars to homemade fish sticks and amazing chococolate chip cookies, Anna's "prairie-style" blog focuses on simple homemade foods that will appeal to the entire family.  Take a trip over and introduce yourself!

This guest post is part of our Summer 2010 Herb Series: Using and Preserving Herbs. Stay tuned every Friday for more hints, tips, and tricks on how to use summer's bounty!


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Using and Preserving Summer Herbs: Potato Salad with Lemon Balm

And now, a word from Heather Arndt Anderson, master mind & culinary mistress over at Voodoo & Sauce:

It's finally that time of year around here. Time for backyard brats and starchy salads consumed al fresco, yes, but also time to start yanking some of the metric shittonne of lemon balm that colonizes Portland gardens every year. And hey, whaddaya know? My buddy Lo from Burp! asked me to hook her up with a blog post using herbs.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a weedy perennial herb in the mint family. It looks very minty, indeed, with its opposite-decussate leaf arrangement, its square stems and labiate flowers. It doesn't have a minty smell, though; instead, it is infused with the aroma of lemons. I use it for lots of things: mojitos, pistou (a looser version of pesto, great on fish), and recently, vinaigrette.

German potato salad is, around these parts, a mayo-free affair that contains cucumbers (sometimes radishes) for crunch, bacon and a vinegary dressing. Lemon plays well with these flavors, and a salad needs an nice herbal note, methinks, so I added a chiffonade of lemon balm to the vinaigrette, which was warm bacon fat whisked with apple cider vinegar and a dob of mustard. Adding a bit of salt and pepper is wise, perhaps some mustard seeds or caraway if you're feeling bold.

Serve with crispy-skinned brats and an ice cold doppelbock of your fancy. We like Buronator by Aktien-Brauerei Kaufbeuren, or as we like to call it: "Burninator."

Heather has been one of our very favorite bloggers ever since ... oh, maybe late 2007. It could have been her way with Asian fare, or her edgy, witty writing. It could have been her great photos, her love for scarlet runner beans, or the way she brought a new shine to even the humblest of comfort food dishes. It may even have been her affinity for pig roasts. Whatever it was, we've been returning regularly to read her schtick ever since. Gotta check her out over at Voodoo & Sauce . Be sure to say hello and let her know Burp! sent you.

This guest post is part of our Summer 2010 Herb Series: Using and Preserving Herbs. Stay tuned every Friday for more hints, tips, and tricks on how to use summer's bounty!


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Using and Preserving Summer Herbs: Dill

And here to tell you about one of her favorite herbs is our dear friend, Amy, of Very Culinary...  

*wild applause*

Ah, Dill…
Isn’t it pretty?

Unlike my hair, which is curly and unruly (and will never know the feeling of a comb running through it), Dill is…wispy. Slender. Delicate. Of course, I’m sure that Dill is jealous of Parsley’s fullness, and Rosemary’s strength, but the grass is always greener.

Back to my Dill love…

When we lived in Minnesota, I had a pretty respectable garden. Tomatoes and peppers took up a lot of space, but I made certain that two planter boxes were dedicated to fresh herbs. Some would lose out from year to year – I never seemed to use enough of the Sage or Marjoram – but Dill was never on the chopping block. Oh no. Dill is a staple in my house.

It has a simple, crisp, and refreshing flavor. I prefer fresh leaves, rather than dried, to get the most flavor. Apparently Dill has medicinal properties, too. I learned that the seeds contain an oil, which helps relax the muscles in our digestive tract. Teas are made with dill seed to relieve indigestion and nausea. And rumor has it, that it’s even good at curing hiccups. Hm. I don’t know. All I know is that it tastes good.

I like it best paired with salmon, yogurt, and potatoes. Like in these recipes…which are also staples in my house:

Salmon Burgers

Dill Potato Salad

Since relocating, and currently “borrowing” (as my 4YO says) the house we’re in now, I temporarily don’t have a garden anymore. No more tomatoes or peppers, no more onions, no more strawberries. Whimper, whimper. BUT, there’s no excuse not to grow fresh herbs. All those fellas need is a decent pot with good soil. Done.

So, who is this Amy person, anyhow?  And how did her recipes get over here on the Burp! blog?
Well... Amy is awesome. She's a mom (with cute kids). And a food blogger (what did you expect?). And she's amazing and funny.  She makes a seriously hilarious video. And her BBQ Deviled Eggs are to die-for.  So, we asked her to write something about her favorite herb -- which just happens to be dill.

Honestly, you'll love her. Just check out her blog at Very Culinary. I promise you won't be sorry!

This guest post is part of our Summer 2010 Herb Series: Using and Preserving Herbs. Stay tuned every Friday for more hints, tips, and tricks on how to use summer's bounty!


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Braciola di Pollo: Stuffed Boneless Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes & Summer Herbs

It's going back quite a ways, but I can still remember the first "fancy" dinner party dish I ever made pretty vividly. It was a recipe for chicken breasts that were pounded flat, stuffed with cheese, fastened with toothpicks, and baked in the oven.

The first lesson I learned was that you should always COVER your chicken breast with something before whacking away at it with a meat mallet. That was followed shortly by the realization that over-stuffing the chicken breasts probably wasn't the best idea.  And then I rounded the experience out by nearly impaling myself with the dullest toothpick I've ever encountered.

My oh my, how things change.

I haven't stuffed a chicken breast with anything in a very long time, though I've actually developed some pretty mad skillz for using toothpicks. And I've gotten pretty good with a meat mallet.

But, stuffed chicken (albeit not breasts) really IS the point of this post. So, I'd better get on with that.

The inspiration for this dish hearkens back to a chicken roll recipe from Mario Batali that we came across online a few months back. It was a boned chicken, stuffed with veal, pork, and ham and roasted in the oven until it was crisped and browned.  I liked the idea of a "boneless chicken roll," so I decided to play with the flavors.

We actually learned to debone poultry when we tackled Julia Child's Pate de Canard en croute for a cooking challenge last summer. It was a skill I was pretty proud to have developed (especially since a number of chickens were sacrificed along the way in order for me to gain confidence with the process).  But, I hadn't put it to good use in quite a while.  So, I figured a little bit of experimenting would get me back into practice.

Inspired by the summer weather, I decided to go with a stuffing that was lighter and far less meat heavy.  I happened to have a few dehydrated Principe Borghese tomatoes leftover from last summer's harvest on hand.

I also realized that it was the perfect opportunity to capitalize on all the summer herbs we had in the back yard.  Peef clipped some basil, parsley, and rosemary. And we got started.  I mixed the herbs with re-hydrated tomatoes, fresh bread crumbs, blue cheese, and a couple of eggs.

We de-boned and stuffed the chicken, and then threw everything into a hot oven for about 40 minutes.

The fact is, this is a relatively simple dish once you've got the pesky de-boning out of the way.  These days I almost always de-bone more than one chicken at a time and I always roll up one or two to sock away in the freezer for later. Makes for pretty slick entertaining when the time comes -- and honestly, it shaves off enough time that we can even throw together a delicious meal like this one on a regular old weeknight.

And, honestly, who can argue with that?

Braciola di Pollo: Stuffed Boneless Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes & Herbs

This post is part of our Summer 2010 Herb Series: Using and Preserving Herbs. Stay tuned every Friday for more hints, tips and tricks on how to use summer's bounty!  

We're also excited to announce that, starting next Friday, we'll be featuring guest posts from some of our favorite food blogger friends as part of the herb series.  First up on July 9th -- Amy from Very Culinary!


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