Food & Wine

<< Previous   of   Next >> Photo illustration by Jan Roberts-Dominguez  (click to enlarge)   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Mom says, Mmmmmmm....doughnuts for Mother's Day 5/7/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Rosemary fills the bill when no other herb will suffice By Jan Roberts-Dominguez Of all the herbs in my garden, if I had to pick a favorite, I simply couldn't do it. Oh, perhaps I'd say basil, if it were the height of summer and my tomato crop were in full production. Or dill, if it had been a great August for pickling cukes and albacore. Or chives, if it were a normal May and they were in full blossom. (Not this year!) But one single, solitary, "If you were on a desert island and could only have one herb" favorite? Impossible. Which takes me back to situational favorites. Meaning that, at this particular time, under these specific circumstances, my very favored herb of the moment is rosemary. Rosemary because it has supported my desire to cook with exquisitely fresh and flavorful ingredients through the most unstable of seasons. Freeze or shine, this plucky bush has weathered winter ever so graciously, never wilting or shedding leaves. Even it's heady aroma remains strong and inspirational, nudging the creative side of my brain into overdrive whenever I bring it into the kitchen. Two weeks ago several sprigs found their way into the cavity of a chicken, along with five cloves of garlic and a sprinkling of coarsely ground pepper. I then placed the bird in the roasting pan on a bed laden with more rosemary sprigs as well as one yellow onion that had been sliced into slender rings. At frequent intervals during the cooking process, I basted the bird with the flavorful juices that had developed in its cavity and around the pan. Then, last weekend, it came into play while grilling a batch of fresh halibut for a small gathering of friends. Between the top-notch quality fish and the aromatic magic of the rosemary, it was an amazing meal. Rosemary has such an immense talent for flavoring whatever foods it comes in contact with that quite often, little or no chopping is required. Two nights ago, for example, I simmered a sprig of rosemary with a bit of broth, wine and olive oil during the first phase of preparing a simple pasta sauce. After its flavor had been absorbed by the other ingredients, I simply plucked the sturdy sprig from the sauce. In a far more decadent approach to this flavoring concept, I learned from Italian cooking expert Marcella Hazan that her "quick and dirty" pasta sauce involves several sprigs of fresh rosemary, some garlic cloves, a spoonful of beef bouillon granules and a fair amount of butter. All of these ingredients are gently simmered together in a saucepan for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the spaghetti (or other long, slender pasta) is cooked, drained and placed in a pasta bowl. The sauce is then poured through a strainer onto the pasta, tossed grated Parmesan, then served. If you have not yet brought rosemary into your world, this spring would be the perfect time to do so. It thrives under a vast range of conditions, making it very difficult for even the most novice of gardeners to kill. And in the kitchen, is a joy to use. Grilled halibut with lemon-butter rosemary sauce 1/2 cup melted butter Juice of one lemon 4 tablespoons dry white wine (such as pinot gris or pinot blanc) or dry sherry 1 1/2-2 pounds good quality halibut fillet (or other tender-firm fish, such as wild salmon or ling cod) Heaping teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, plucked from their stem Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Combine the butter, lemon juice and wine in a small microwaveable dish and heat just until the butter is melted. Create a foil pan out of heavy duty aluminum foil that is at least 3 to 4 inches larger in all directions than the fillet. Spoon a few tablespoons of the sauce onto the bottom of the pan, then place the fillet on top, skin side down. Drizzle on the rest of the butter mixture. Sprinkle the fish with the rosemary leaves. Season lightly with the salt and pepper. Slide the foil pan onto the grill and cook over medium-hot coals or gas burners; cook at about 375 degrees or slightly lower so that the butter doesn't scorch during cooking. Baste with the sauce several times. Keep the lid on the grill when not basting the fish. Fish is done when the flesh is just flaking when gently prodded with a fork. Figure on a cooking time of about 10 minutes per inch, measured at thickest part of the fillet. Remove the fish to a warmed serving platter and drizzle with the flavorful sauce that developed during cooking. No need to remove the rosemary leaves; diners can do that as desired. Makes six servings. Roasted new potatoes and garlic with fresh rosemary 12 small red potatoes (2 pounds), scrubbed 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 12-14 whole cloves of garlic, peeled 4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly-ground black pepper Remove any eyes or damaged areas from the potatoes with a paring knife. Place the oil in a large oven-proof skillet. Add the potatoes and mix well to coat them with the oil. Add the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the potatoes over and return the skillet to the oven for another 30 minutes. Serve, dividing the potatoes and garlic among six plates. Makes six servings. Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.

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