The herbs of summer. In my mind’s palate, such seasonality is less about an herb’s availability and more about its compatibility – with the foods of summer: Basil with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella; rosemary sprigs on the grill with lamb; crushed bits of lemon thyme sprinkled into a fresh vinaigrette; Greek oregano leaves tossed into a Mediterranean-style salad of peppers, sweet onions, olives, tomatoes and olive oil with just a splash of balsamic vinegar; sage butter melting through a bowl of lightly steamed green beans; a frosty glass of Thyme Garden’s lovely lavender lemonade.
My summer meals are light and fresh. Body and belly are craving grilled halibut rather than beef stew, kabobs over meatloaf and golden-roasted chicken not fricassee.
With such light-handed cooking, the delicate and subtle flavor of herbs can shine through and contribute depth and intrigue. To take that roasted chicken one level closer to heaven, simply stuff its cavity with sprigs of rosemary, a few cloves of garlic and a couple slices of fresh lemon.
If you have your own little garden of herbs, then you’re already used to harvesting sprigs for whatever your culinary heart desires. If you don’t, then perhaps this is the summer to consider starting one. Herbs are fairly low maintenance and, for the most part, hardy. And many of them will stick around for several years. Most even thrive on neglect, meaning they’re comfortable in droughtlike conditions. They’re happiest with full sun in fast-draining soil. A spring pruning and midsummer trim keep them healthy and productive.
My favorite summer herbs – the ones I like to grow – are basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, rosemary, sage, sweet marjoram and several different thymes, including lemon thyme, which has the flavor of common thyme with a delightful lemon overtone. To the serious herb gardener, that’s a pretty dull collection. But over the years, these are the herbs I’ve found that complement my summer meals.
Even if you don’t grow your own, this time of year it’s easy to obtain whatever you need at local farmers markets or any well-stocked produce section. It’s just that it’s so darned convenient to be able to walk out your backdoor and snip off what you need right at the moment when you need it. But whether you grow your own or pay for someone else to do the heavy lifting, my message is the same: These sunny day seasoners, so bountiful in these splendid months of July, August, September and October, pair up beautifully with the foods of summer.
Some things I’ve learned over the years while working with herbs:
* To get the full aroma of a particular herb, rub the leaves gently between your fingers and then smell the aroma that’s left behind on your fingers.
* If in the experimental stage of a recipe, add herbs in small amounts, tasting as you go if possible.
* To quickly remove herb leaves from a sturdy stem, hold the stem by the tip, right side up, and run your fingers down the stem against the growth.
* If you do a lot of grilling, save the twigs of rosemary, bay laurel, oregano and sage as you strip away the leaves for various recipes. Throw a few on the grill, which imparts a delightful aroma to meats, poultry and vegetables when cooking outdoors.
* Create a flavorful herbal basting brush by tying together several sturdy sprigs of rosemary.
* Use sturdy stems from rosemary as skewers for meats or fish, because the flavor imparted in the food from the herbs is delightful. The stems will easily poke through the more tender morsels, such as prawns and chicken, but you may have to drill a pilot hole with a bamboo or metal skewer for sturdier meats like beef, lamb or pork kabobs.
* When using herb seeds such as dill or coriander (or tough leaves such as rosemary) in a vinaigrette, first soak the seeds in the vinegar for 15 minutes to soften them and release their flavor.
* Toss fresh herbs into the cooking water when boiling vegetables.
* To keep a day’s worth of freshly-harvested herbs happy, submerge their stems in water then place in a cool area of the kitchen or in the refrigerator.
* For long-cooking soups, stews and braised dishes, add the most pungent herbs first, then the milder herbs towards the end when the dish is almost done.
If you find yourself down in the Willamette Valley this summer, consider a trip to The Thyme Garden Herb Co., hidden away just off Highway 34 on the way to Alsea, Ore. It’s an enchanting nursery with beautiful display gardens to walk through, boasting more than 700 varieties of herbs. It’s a wonderful place for an afternoon picnic, and perhaps to take a hike along their nearby streams where an extensive salmon restoration project is ongoing.
The Thyme Garden began in 1989 when Rolf and Janet Hagen moved to the 80-acre farm a few miles west of Alsea. Their vast collection of organically grown herbs flourish in 92 raised beds, and on any given weekend there are fun events to attend.
The “Good Thymes in the Kitchen,” cookbook grew out of those events because folks kept pestering them for the recipes of the foods Janet Hagen would be serving, from the special vinaigrettes and dips to their delicious thirst-quenching lavender lemonade. The recipes are straightforward and tasty, and celebrate the use of fresh herbs in everyday cooking. Categories include breads, spreads, sauces and dressings, soups, salads, noodle dishes, poultry and meat, seafood, appetizers, beverages and desserts.
“Good Thymes in the Kitchen,” with recipes by Janet Hagen and inside text and layout by Bethany Starr Hagen, is $12.95 (soft cover). It’s available at The Thyme Garden, 20546 Alsea Highway (Highway 34), and online at www.thymegarden.com.
The next event, “Till Midnight in the Garden of Good and Everything,” takes place at 7 p.m. on July 23. Cost is $25 for adults and $12 for children under 12. Reservations are required. For more information, give the Hagens a call (541-487-8671) or go their Web site and click on events.
Thyme Garden’s famous lavender lemonade
21/2cups water
1cup sugar
1/4cup fresh lavender blooms (or 1 heaping tablespoon of dried)
Homemade or canned lemonade
Prepare a lavender syrup by combining the water and sugar in a medium-size pot. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the lavender blooms and remove from heat; cover and let steep for at least 20 minutes. Strain the mixture.
To prepare the lemonade, add ice to a clear glass pitcher, then add lemonade, leaving at least 1 inch headspace. At the table, just before pouring the lemonade, add about 1 inch of the lavender syrup the color will change before everyone’s eyes, so get ready for the compliments. Garnish individual glasses with a lavender stem.
This is a savory offering that really is fabulous. Author John Ash, says of this dish: “The crust, a real favorite of mine, is particularly good for showcasing savory fillings. For an added flavor dimension, try adding a thin layer of slow-roasted tomatoes to the prepared tart shell before you pour in the filling mixture. Surprisingly, this cornmeal crust comes from an old French recipe. Cornmeal is not usually thought of as being part of the French pantry, but I encountered it at a tiny little roadside cafe in the French countryside. Rather than using it as a tart crust, the proprietors had made it into little cookies to serve alongside the local red wine, similar to what the Italians do with biscotti.”
Ricotta cheese-lemon thyme tart with sweet cornmeal crust
Cornmeal crust:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat until smooth. Add the cornmeal, eggs, and salt. Beat until well combined. Add the flour and mix until the dough forms a ball. The mixture should be soft and moist. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to fit the pan. Roll the dough up onto the rolling pin to transfer to the tart pan. Press the dough into the pan, trimming any excess. Prick the dough with the tines of a fork. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until just lightly browned. Any leftover dough may be wrapped and frozen; it makes great biscuits.
Ricotta cheese-lemon thyme filling:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 tablespoons mincedshallots or scallions, both white and pale green parts
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound fresh ricotta cheese
3 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as lemon thyme, chives, parsley, or basil, or a combination
In a medium saute pan, melt the butter and saute the shallots until soft but not brown. Add the cream, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half. Remove to a bowl and cool. Add the ricotta, eggs, and thyme. Beat until smooth. Pour into the prepared tart shell.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until the filling is just set and lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with a sprinkling of thyme or whatever other herb you used in the filling.
To slow roast tomatoes: Place some Roma tomatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast in a 275 degree oven for 5 hours, until they’re very lightly browned. Something magical happens when you cook them for a long time at a low temperature: The flavors become very concentrated and sweet.
Recipe from “From the Earth to the Table,” by John Ash.
A Greek country salad
About 3/4 pound feta cheese
2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced or chunked
2 medium-size ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks or wedges
1 sweet green bell pepper, cored and sliced into strips or rings
1 medium Walla Walla Sweet onion, peeled, thinly sliced and separated into rings
About 1 1/2 cups of Kalamata olives
About 1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs (half basil, half Greek oregano)
Herbed vinaigrette(recipe follows)
Assemble all of the ingredients except the dressing. When ready to serve, place the vegetables and cheese in a large, shallow bowl or on a platter. Drizzle on enough dressing to coat the salad ingredients; toss gently and serve.
Note: Add the dressing just before serving. Yields 4 to 6 servings.
Herbed vinaigrette
2tablespoons double strength canned chicken broth
1/4cup fresh lemon juice
2tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2teaspoons minced fresh thyme (lemon thyme, if available)
Scant teaspoon minced fresh oregano (Greek oregano, if available)
1/4teaspoon minced or pressed fresh garlic
3/4teaspoon salt
Dash of white pepper
2/3cup extra-virgin olive oil
Whisk together the chicken broth, lemon juice, and vinegars. Whisk in the herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Finally, whisk in the olive oil. Adjust seasonings. Store any unused dressing in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before using. Yields about 11/4 cups.
Grilled salmon with lime and dill butter
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (or 3 tablespoons dried)
Salt and white pepper to taste
6 (6-ounce) portions salmon fillet
Salt and pepper
To prepare the dill butter place the butter, lime zest, lime juice, dill and pepper in a mixer and whip until well mixed. For an attractive presentation, place the butter in a pastry bag and pipe rosettes onto waxed or parchment paper and chill. Alternately, you could scoop balls of the butter mixture with a melon baller and chill on the waxed or parchment paper. Or, just scoop dollops onto waxed paper and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Grill the salmon fillets over medium-hot coals for approximately 10 minutes, turning once.
Serve with a lime and dill butter rosette.
Adapted from “Timberline Cookbook,” by Leif Eric Benson.
Rosemary-oregano marinade for lamb
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano
Extra sprigs of rosemary and oregano
Combine all of the ingredients. To use, pour the marinade over lamb chops (this marinade is enough for about 8 lamb chops) and marinate about 4 hours, turning chops occasionally.
Prepare the grill. When coals are ready, drain lamb from the marinade and place on grill. Cook until done (about 4 to 5 minutes per side, depending on degree of doneness you prefer). Baste with the reserved marinade during cooking. For added flavor, toss some rosemary sprigs onto the coals during cooking. Use a few sprigs of rosemary and oregano tied together to brush on the marinade.
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. E-mail janrd@proaxis.com.
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