Читать книгу Nothing More Comforting - Dorothy Duncan - Страница 8

Those herbs which perfume the air most delightfully, not passed by as the rest, but, being trodden upon and crushed, are three; that is, burnet, wild thyme and watermints. Therefore, you are to set whole alleys of them, to have the pleasure when you walk or tread.

Sir Francis Bacon

In recent years, herbs have enjoyed such a surge in popularity that they have become one of the hottest items in Canadian cuisine. Gone forever is the image of herbs being used simply as inexpensive substitutes for spices or other imported ingredients. Today, herbs are considered staples by both everyday cooks and award-winning chefs. They are the subject of scores of new books, a major topic at workshops, seminars, and conferences, and the foundation for enterprising new businesses that serve this growing interest with a variety of herb-related products. In addition, organizations such as the International Herb Association and the Canadian Herb Society serve a growing membership.

With this return to popularity herbs have come full circle. They appear on the baked clay tablets of ancient Egypt and also on the wall and ceiling paintings of their tombs. The Romans left us the first written recipes using herbs both on the walls of their kitchens and in the collections of recipes of some of their famous cooks.We learn that:

The main Roman meal was eaten in the evening and comprised three courses. The first course was made up of morsels to tempt the appetite — oysters, cheese, olives, vegetables, and that great delicacy, roasted dormice. The second course included all kinds of meat; poultry and game such as song birds, ostriches, flamingoes, sausages, and a variety of stews, all highly seasoned with herbs and spices. This repast would be concluded with a dessert of fruit.

When the Romans arrived in Britain they brought with them, as well as their own recipes, a great deal of inherited knowledge from ancient Greece, Babylon, and Egypt about the use of herbs in cooking, in medicines, and for scent and cosmetics. This knowledge filtered through the layers of society to the lowliest peasant, who would cultivate an herb garden at the door.

During the Saxon period, much of this knowledge was lost, and we find that the cultivation and use of herbs often focused on the supernatural and the warding off of evil spirits rather than their healing effects and uses as flavourings. The Leech Book of Bald, written about 950 A. D., details many of the superstitions and pagan rites and beliefs about the evil or the good influence of plants at that time. For example, it was commonly believed that witches inhabited the elder; the periwinkle was called the sorcerer’s violet and could be used to foil the powers of evil; leeks were grown on the roofs of houses as a safeguard against lightning striking the building, or any other bad luck. Rue became known as the “herb of grace” because it enabled the eater to see witches and so avoid them, while the roots of the mandrake were believed to grow in human form and would shriek when they were uprooted. It was also believed they only grew under a gallows. Because the roots were much valued as a narcotic to ease pain and promote sleep, the legends say that a dog would be tied to the plant to pull it up so that the evil would possess the dog rather than the digger!

In the Middle Ages it was from the monasteries and the monks, who were able to read the ancient Latin writings about herbs and plants and exchange them across Europe and Britain, that herbs gained popularity as healing plants. The monks, with their dedication to the sick and the poor, frequently had large herb gardens within the monastery walls and often became the physicians for their surrounding districts.

In the manor houses of the Middle Ages, the lady of the house often developed an herb garden and a stillroom where the plants could be dried and made into medicines for her family, their servants, and any neighbours or friends who needed her assistance. In larger towns, an apothecary often opened a shop to sell herbal remedies, for only the very wealthy could afford to have a doctor in attendance, and then with questionable results!

Herbs were grown for other reasons besides seasoning and medicines, and one of the most important was to attract bees, thus leading to a source of honey, a valued sweetener. Lemon balm was often grown near the beehives, for it was believed bees would never leave a garden in which it was grown. Herbs such as lavender, fennel, costmary, cowslips, and daisies were grown to strew on the floors and perfume the room. Pomanders were made of sponge, moss, and fruit combined with herbs and were carried by doctors and monks visiting the sick and dying. In the past, herbs were also used for cosmetics, for dyes, for warding off insects, and as a substitute for soap.

Whether you grow your own herbs in windowsill pots or an outdoor garden or buy them as needed from markets or stores, there are several that are very popular and easy to use. These include such a stalwart as mint, chosen by the International Herb Association as Herb of the Year for 1998. The First Nations would gather a form of wild mint from stream banks to make an excellent beverage. They also ground the leaves and stems and dissolved them in water to treat nausea. Apple mint and peppermint are favourites for teas, while spearmint cuttings were brought by newcomers to use as restoratives and medicines, and today all three excel as cooking herbs when added to peas, carrots, potatoes, or roast lamb, or for making accompaniments such as mint sauce.

Parsley has long been the most widely used herb for flavouring, colouring, and garnishing food. The fresh sprigs of curly green leaves can be trusted not to wilt quickly, and when chopped they add both flavour and colour to a wide range of dishes.

Chives can be snipped with scissors for garnishing a dish or for flavouring when regular onions are too strong. They are ideal for salads, cold soups, omelettes, sauces, cheese dishes, and some vegetable recipes.The purple flowers can be separated into florets and added to salads for colour and flavour. Chives, like many other herbs, can also be added to soft butter to produce herb butter for bread, rolls, toast, and biscuits. Herb vinegars are easy to make as well and bring subtle new flavours to tried and true recipes.

Rosemary is a fragrant herb with a host of uses. Dumplings, biscuits, preserves, stuffings, vegetable dishes, and meats such as ham and pork all benefit from its excellent flavour. Oregano, meanwhile, is a hardy perennial whose leaves, either dried or fresh, have a strong flavour ideal for seasoning rice, pasta, pizza, and beef dishes. Oregano is often used in Italian, Spanish, and Mexican cooking.

Caraway seeds have a strong aniseed or licorice flavour and are an excellent addition to both savoury and sweet recipes. They were traditionally used by European settlers in rye breads, cakes, soups, stews, and almost any recipe involving cabbage .The next time you make coleslaw, toss in a teaspoon of caraway for a flavourful treat.

When spring arrives, why not experiment with herbs? Add them to your favourite recipes; take a workshop; read a book; exchange ideas with friends and family. Join the growing trend to learn about these mystical plants that for centuries have brought culinary magic to the kitchen.

Parsley Potatoes 1 pound potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter or chive butter

fresh-ground pepper

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped chives, shallots, or tiny fresh green onions

milk or cream to cover

Peel potatoes and boil with salt until just cooked. Drain. Melt the butter in a flameproof or ovenproof casserole and slice potatoes in layers, seasoning each layer with pepper, finely chopped parsley, and chives, shallots, or onions. Heat about 1 cup of milk or cream and pour over potatoes to cover. If using a flameproof casserole, heat for about 10 minutes on a gentle heat; if in an ovenproof casserole, about 15 minutes at 350ºF. Serve hot from the casserole as an excellent companion to chicken or fish.

Herb Butter

1/2 cup soft, salted butter

1/3 cup parsley, mint, or chives or

3 or 4 finely chopped or pressed garlic cloves or

1/4 cup sage, thyme, or basil

Use finely chopped, fresh, green herbs for flavouring herb butter and beat well into the softened, salted butter. You may want to sharpen it with a few drops of lemon juice. Herb butters can be kept refrigerated in well-covered containers until ready to use.

Herb Vinegar

Sterilize some small jars and wash chosen herbs — mint, tarragon, marjoram, chives, or parsley are all good candidates. Remove dead or bruised leaves and dry thoroughly (or the vinegar may be cloudy). Fill jars with the herb. Bring sufficient vinegar (wine, cider, or malt) to a boil and pour hot over herbs. Cork or cover well and let stand for 2 weeks in a sunny spot, shaking or turning upside down daily. Remove the herbs and put 1 new leaf or small bunch in each jar. Store for a month in a cool spot and then use as needed. For garlic vinegar, use 4 cloves of peeled garlic, each cut in 2 for each quart of vinegar, and proceed as described for other herbs.

Mint Sauce

6 tablespoons cider vinegar or mint vinegar

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup dried mint

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Simmer vinegar, water, and mint for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and just bring to a boil before removing from heat. Store in small, covered bottles in the refrigerator. Serve hot or cold. If fresh mint is used, increase to 1 cup minced leaves — after simmering, strain through a fine sieve before adding remaining ingredients.

Roasted Vegetables with Rosemary 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered or sliced

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 small turnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cauliflower, cut into large flowerets

10 Brussels sprouts

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon dried, crushed rosemary

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Place vegetables in a large, shallow, greased baking dish. Mix ingredients for dressing and drizzle over vegetables. Place dish on a baking pan or cookie sheet, cover with lid or foil, and bake at 450ºF for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Leave cover off and continue roasting for about 20 minutes until tender and brown. Serves 6 to 8.The vegetables listed above are only suggestions — any combination of these with cooking onions, green beans, broccoli, parsnips, or whatever else you have on hand can be used with equal success.

Caraway Cabbage 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 pounds cabbage, quartered, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch strips 1 tablespoon caraway seeds 1 tablespoon white vinegar or herb vinegar

Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan. When foam subsides, add cabbage, caraway seeds, and salt to taste. Stir well so that the cabbage is covered with butter. Cover and let cook for about 3 or 4 minutes until cabbage is just wilted. Serve in a heated dish with vinegar sprinkled over. Serves 8.