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Оглавлениеherb blends, salad dressings, and more
fresh herb blends
The French are fond of herbs, and starting with a few French classics is a lovely way to begin this book. Bouquet garni and fines herbes are such versatile herb mixes, we’ve all probably used variations without calling them by their official titles.
Bouquet Garni
Bouquet garni is used to infuse a soup, stock, or sauce with complex flavors. Herbs are tied together with aromatic vegetables, added at the beginning of cooking, and removed at the end.
1 small leek, or large leek sliced lengthwise, white part only
1 carrot
2 celery ribs, with greens
1 sprig fresh lovage or 4 tablespoons celery leaves
3 sprigs fresh parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Tie all the ingredients together with clean white string. Leave a tail on the string so you can secure it to the pot and remove it easily.
Fines Herbes
Fines herbes is a mixture of chopped herbs. You will see dried mixes labeled “fines herbes,” but the elusive flavors of the primary herbs—tarragon, parsley, and chervil—fade when dried. The traditional mixture calls for equal amounts of minced fresh parsley, tarragon, chervil, and chives or thyme. This mix is added at the last minute to soups, sauces, vinaigrettes, and savory egg dishes.
Gremolata
Here’s another traditional herb blend—this one from Italy. It adds a “wallop” of flavor when sprinkled over osso buco, roast lamb, baked chicken, and fish; when added to soups before serving; or when stirred into marinades and sauces.
1 large lemon
½ cup (15 g) chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 small garlic clove, minced
⅛ teaspoon salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
Grate the lemon peel. Place it in a small bowl, and mix in the parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. It will keep for three days in the refrigerator. Makes ⅔ cup (20 g).
Salad greens can be grown in beds or containers, as shown here.
These are the workhorses of the herb garden: flat-leaf and curly parsley, sage, rosemary, and French and lemon thyme. Use them in butters, pasta sauces, salad dressings, soups, stuffings, meat stews, and in a marinade for roast meats.
Even a garden with only a few herb plants produces enough to share. Before a party, gather up little bouquets of fresh herbs, tie them with raffia, and give them to your host or hostess. Or dry herbs and give them as a bridal shower gift. For a festive presentation, put the dry herbs in a basket and add a great bottle of olive oil, a fancy vinegar, and your favorite salad dressing recipe.
salad herb blends
A basic green salad can be given many faces by changing the selection of fresh herbs. Here are a number of fresh herb salad blends.
Tangy Herb Blend
This blend is wonderful over a large salad of mixed lettuces and tomatoes with a basic vinaigrette.
12 to 16 fresh sorrel leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons fresh burnet leaves
Asian Herb Blend
This herb mix can be used in a salad—try making the vinaigrette with rice wine vinegar and a little soy sauce, and add grilled scallops to the salad. This blend can also be added to a stir-fry at the end of cooking.
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons minced fresh lemongrass
1 tablespoon finely snipped fresh Oriental chives
Classic Mesclun Herb Blend
Mesclun salad mixes are great from the garden and are now available in many markets. Traditionally, fresh herbs are included in the salad. Add the following herb blend to your mesclun next time and see what you think.
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chervil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Fresh Flavor Herb Blend
Another herb variation adds dimension to vegetable salads. Try it on tomatoes and cucumbers, with avocados and root vegetables, or added to risotto.
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill
2 teaspoons chopped fresh borage
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
Summer Essence Herb Blend
Use the following blend in tomato soup, on pizza, in a green or bean salad, or in just about any dish with lots of tomatoes.
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
dry herb blends
Drying herbs not only preserves the flavor for the off-season but sometimes can enhance the flavor as well. Many of the following blends have many variations under the same name, such as the classic herbes de Provence.
Herbes de Provence
In looking through French reference books, I found many different herb blends that were called herbes de Provence. The ones I gravitated toward were from Jacques Pépin, chef, author, and TV series host, and Antoine Bouterin, chef/owner of Bouterin in New York City. Other chefs add savory or sweet marjoram to the blend. According to Pépin, his blend is equal parts dried thyme, sage, rosemary, lavender, and fennel seeds. Use the blend with red meats and vegetables.
Herbes de Provence à la Bouterin
4 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried lavender
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
3 bay leaves, crushed
Tex-Mex Hot Barbecue Blend
A blend from a spicy part of the world, this mixture is great rubbed on beef, chicken, and pork before barbecuing. This recipe is for the “hot-heads”; if you don’t like your food blazing, omit the chile Piquín.
2 tablespoons crumbled, dried Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon chile Piquín flakes
1 teaspoon chili powder
Fresh Light Blend
Use this blend for poultry stuffing, in a lemon butter over fish, and added to soups.
2 tablespoons dried lemon thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano
Roast Potato Blend
2 tablespoons dried sweet marjoram
2 tablespoons dried thyme
For a delicious potato dish, parboil approximately 24 small potatoes (or 1½ lbs/650 g) until almost tender. Put them in a shallow baking pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and stir to coat. Sprinkle salt and pepper and the herb blend over them and stir again. Bake at 400°F (200°C), stirring occasionally until golden brown. (Bake about 20 to 30 minutes.)
Roasted Root Vegetable Blend
Here’s another roasting mix; you can use it interchangeably with the Roast Potato Blend.
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
½ tablespoon dried savory
½ tablespoon dried thyme
salad dressings
The dressing we all need in our repertoire is the basic vinaigrette. This ageless combination of ingredients is elegant in its simplicity, and its quality depends on superior ingredients. Once the basic vinaigrette is mastered, it has endless variations. And then there all those wonderful creamy dressings—some are made with yogurt, others with cheese, cream, or buttermilk. They are also valuable in the salad repertoire. Newcomers to the dressing world are low-fat and nonfat ones. Salads are so much a part of a healthy diet that it makes sense to lower the caloric content for day-to-day salads. With the help of a lot of talented cooks, we now have an ever-expanding choice of tasty low-calorie dressings.
Basic Vinaigrette
Though the proportions of ingredients in a basic vinaigrette differ from cook to cook, the following is a representative recipe. It makes enough to dress a salad for four to six people. As vinaigrettes keep well for a few days, I generally double the amounts to make enough for two salads, refrigerating half.
1½ to 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
5 to 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Mix the vinegar, salt, and pepper and with a whisk blend in the oil to taste. Drizzle most of the dressing over 4 to 6 handfuls of mixed greens, toss gently, and taste. Add more dressing, if needed, and serve.
Vinaigrette with Blood Oranges and Champagne Vinegar
Created by Annie Somerville, executive chef at Greens restaurant in San Francisco, this sophisticated dressing is delicious.
½ teaspoon finely minced orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed blood orange or tangelo juice
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
In a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest, juice, vinegar, and salt. Once the salt dissolves, whisk in the oil. Makes ⅓ cup (85 ml).
Asian Vinaigrette
Asian greens seem to cry out for their own dressing. I like to use a basic vinaigrette but substitute Asian ingredients and seasonings to complement the “cabbagy” flavor. This rich (but very low-cal) and flavorful vinaigrette is perfect on all sorts of mixed Asian greens. I love to sprinkle a teaspoon or so of toasted sesame seeds over the salad after it is dressed, to accentuate the flavors. You can add all sorts of steamed vegetables to the salad. You may also add cooked chicken as well.
½ teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons commercial low- or nonfat defatted chicken or vegetable stock
½ teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
½ teaspoon chili oil
1 tablespoon cold-pressed toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
In a small bowl, mix the honey and ginger. Slowly add the vinegar, whisking it in to incorporate the honey. Slowly add the stock, whisking it in. Add the tamari and oils and stir to blend. Makes ½ cup (125 ml).
Vegetable Marinade
Vinaigrettes don’t always need to be used as a dressing drizzled over a salad; they can also be used to marinate vegetables that are then served cold, by themselves or over greens. Chef John Downey, from Downey’s in Santa Barbara, California, likes to use a vinaigrette filled with lots of garden-fresh herbs to marinate lightly cooked vegetables for appetizer salads. This light combination of olive and corn oils and cider vinegar to lets the flavors of the greens and herbs predominate. The recipe makes enough to use as a marinade or to dress two or three green salads.
¼ cup (65 ml) cider or wine vinegar
1 to 3 teaspoons high-quality mustard
1 to 2 tablespoons minced shallots, dried, or scallions (green onions), garlic, or a combination of all three
⅓ cup (10 g) finely chopped fresh herbs such as basil, dill, fennel, parsley, or thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (250 ml) oil
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except the oil or process them briefly in a food processor. Slowly whisk in the oil or add it to the processor. Let the mixture stand for ½ hour to allow the flavors to blend; check the seasoning. Refrigerate the unused portion and use within a few days. Makes 1½ cups (350 ml).
Salads come in many different styles. Here is a large garden salad, a Caesar salad, and a composed salad of cucumbers and yellow tomatoes. Even the simplest of salads can be a celebration of flavor, with a little imagination and the addition of fresh herbs and homemade dressing.
creamy salad dressings
Creamy dressings are at their best served with crunchy, crisp lettuces and with assertive greens. As a rule they are not used with baby greens, because they weigh down the greens and overpower the delicate flavors.
Garden Ranch Dressing
This creamy dressing is great on all types of lettuces and mixed greens. Beets and croutons would be great additions to the salad. This recipe makes enough for at least two large salads and will keep in the refrigerator for up to ten days.
1 tablespoon grated shallots or sweet onion
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk
½ cup (125 ml) mayonnaise
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chervil
½ teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, blending them together well. Refrigerate before serving. Makes 1½ cups (350 ml).
Light Roquefort Dressing
No dressing made with Roquefort can be truly low-cal; however, this version cuts out much of the fat but not the flavor of the classic version. You can also substitute Gorgonzola or Maytag blue cheese, one of the few domestic blue cheeses that works in this recipe. The dressing keeps for up to ten days in the refrigerator.
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz (125 g) Roquefort cheese, crumbled
⅓ cup (85 g) nonfat plain yogurt
⅔ cup (170 g) low-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons nonfat milk
¼ teaspoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a small mixing bowl, blend the garlic, lemon juice, oil, and Roquefort with a fork until creamy. Add the yogurt, sour cream, milk, hot sauce, and salt and pepper. Whisk until the mixture is well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 2 cups (475 ml).
Sauce Verte
Here is a variation of the classic French sauce verte and the German grüne sosse traditionally served over cold cooked vegetables. It can also be used as a dip for cooked or raw vegetables.
½ cup (115 g) fresh blanched and drained spinach
¼ cup (25 g) chopped fresh water-cress leaves or ⅛ cup (15 g) fresh young arugula (rocket) or nasturtium leaves
¼ cup (10 g) fresh chopped parsley leaves (preferably Italian)
4 tablespoons fresh chopped sorrel leaves
1 scallion (green onion) or 1 shallot or 2 tablespoons snipped chives
1 small garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon, dill, or chervil
1½ cups (350 ml) mayonnaise
½ cup (125 g) sour cream or yogurt
Blend all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Makes about 2½ cups (625 ml).
low-calorie dressings
There are many ways to cut down on fat and calories in salad dressings. Most of their calories come from the oil, which gives them a rich flavor and a slippery “mouth feel.” You can still get the same effect by using less oil and adding vegetable or chicken stock. The amount you substitute is a matter of personal taste. I’ve given proportions I like; you may want more or less oil. You can also use a little maple syrup or honey for the oil, to help add viscosity. To add rich flavors to a dressing, try adding fruit juice or tomato juice or substitute some of the richer-flavored nut oils for a milder olive or vegetable oil. The Asian Vinaigrette (page 25) is one such recipe; here are a few more.
Basic Low-Cal Vinaigrette
This dressing is to my salad repertoire what my jeans are to my wardrobe. Always there, always comfortable. It’s at home with any mixed or mesclun salad, and I often substitute my favorite herb of the day for the fennel.
3 tablespoons commercial low- or nonfat chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh fennel or chives, basil, dill, or tarragon
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pour all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to blend them. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to a week. Makes ½ cup (125 ml).
Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing
I met David Hirsch, chef at the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, New York, and author of The Moosewood Restaurant Kitchen Garden, while visiting the restaurant. I asked him if he’d share a salad dressing recipe that was low in fat. David suggests serving this robust thick and creamy dressing with greens “that are more than delicate,” such as crunchy romaine, endive, arugula (rocket), radicchio, lightly steamed vegetables, and potatoes. The dressing looks best when made with sun-dried tomatoes that have retained some of their red color. The carrots also add color as well as sweetness, fiber, and nutrition.
5 dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes
⅓ cup (50 g) raw grated carrot
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1½ to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1½ tablespoons minced fresh basil
Soak the tomatoes in boiling water to cover for about 15 minutes, or until they’re soft. Drain the tomatoes, reserving 2 tablespoons of the liquid. Combine all the ingredients except the fresh herbs in a blender, add ⅓ cup (85 ml) water and the reserved 2 tablespoons of drained water, and purée until smooth. Stir in the herbs. Makes 1 cup (250 ml).
Jody’s Low-Cal French Dressing
So-called French dressing is actually an American invention. This dressing is also flavored with tomatoes, but the result is very different. Jody Main contributed this recipe. On some days she is my venerable garden manager, on others she caters healthy food to conscientious companies or tests products for a natural-food store. This dressing keeps in the refrigerator for about a week.
1 cup (250 ml) tomato juice
¼ cup (55 g) tomato paste
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon honey
1 garlic clove, pressed
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon grated onion
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Combine the ingredients by rotating them in a jar with a good seal, or whisk them together in a small bowl. Makes 1½ cups (350 ml).
Salads are a perfect, tasty way to enjoy the bounty of a home garden. Here are peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and green beans—all great additions to any salad.
flower butters
Both savory and sweet butters can be made with flowers. Probably the most versatile savory butters are made from chive blossoms or nasturtium flowers. Serve these savory butters with a crisp French bread or melt them over vegetables, fish, or poultry. Or also add savory herbs, lemon juice, or other flavorings such as ground chipotle peppers or grated fresh ginger. Sweet flower butters can be made with roses, violets, lavender, and pineapple sage and are a treat on egg breads, sugar cookies, or as a mystery filling between layers of pound or sponge cake. Not all edible flowers are equally tasty. Before you prepare the blossoms taste a few petals to make sure they please your palate.
Nasturtium Butter
4 oz (125 g) unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
12 to 18 nasturtium flowers
2 to 4 fresh nasturtium leaves, or a few sprigs of fresh parsley
3 or 4 chive leaves (optional)
Chive Blossom Butter
4 oz (125 g) unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
10 to 12 large, barely open common chive flowers, florets (petal clusters) separated
2 small sprigs of fresh parsley, or 8 or 10 large chive leaves
Rose Butter
4 oz (125 g) unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1 teaspoon superfine sugar, or finely granulated sugar (sometimes called baker’s sugar)
¼ teaspoon almond extract
Generous handful of organic rose petals from the fragrant old-fashioned types, such as ‘Belle of Portugal,’ any of the rugosa roses and damasks, and the ‘Eglantine’ rose (enough to yield 2 tablespoons of chopped petals)
Making any flower butter involves the same process. First, remove the petals from the flowers and wash them well in cold water—check for critters. Gently pat them dry in a towel or dry them in a salad spinner. Using a very sharp knife, mince the flowers and any leaves. (Mincing is easier if you roll the blossoms into a small ball before cutting them.) Cut a stick of room-temperature butter into 6 or 8 pieces and then mash them with a fork. When the butter is fairly soft, slowly incorporate any flavorings and the flowers and leaves. With a rubber spatula put the mixture into a small butter crock or decorative bowl. Refrigerate until serving time. Flower butters can be frozen in sealed containers for 2 months.
All three recipes make a little more than ½ cup (125 g).
Flower butters can turn a snack into a surprising treat for guests. This rose butter is presented garnished with whole rose petals.
asian condiments
Asian cuisines are widely varied, but one thing many of them share is a fondness for pickled vegetables. These vegetables add a flavorful kick to meals and may be served either as stand-alone condiments or incorporated into stir-fries and other dishes. Pickling can be a particularly useful technique for gardeners and local food enthusiasts, as it can extend the life of plentiful crops.
Pickled Daikon and Carrots
My neighbor Helen Chang and friend Mai Truong have helped me make these pickles. Pickling daikon in this manner is traditional in many parts of Asia. In China, these pickles might be part of a farmer’s lunch, served with rice and a vegetable stir-fry. In Vietnam, showing the influence of the French, the slices might be used in a sandwich with liver-wurst, head cheese, and herbs, or served with noodles and fragrant herbs. In Japan, they would be part of a selection of pickles offered as condiments at a meal.
If you prefer a crisp pickle, parboil the daikon and carrots in a quart of boiling water into which ½ teaspoon of alum has been added. See the Pickled Mustard recipe on the following page for more information on the use of alum.
1 lb (500 g) white daikon radish (12–16 in/30–40 cm long, 2 in/5 cm in diameter)
1 medium carrot
2 teaspoons salt
½-in (13-mm) slice fresh ginger root
½ cup (125 ml) rice wine vinegar
½ cup (115 g) sugar
Peel the daikon and carrots and cut them into ¼ x 3-inch (6 mm x 7.5-cm) matchstick strips. Put the vegetables in a medium bowl and sprinkle the salt over them. Crush the ginger slice with the back of a cleaver and add it to the vegetables. Stir the diakon and carrots with your hands to disperse the salt evenly. Set the bowl aside and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
Drain the vegetables and then, using your hands, gently squeeze them to remove more of the liquid. Add the vinegar and sugar to the vegetables and stir until thoroughly mixed. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours. Remove the ginger and discard it. Put the pickled vegetables in a tight-sealing container and refrigerate until use.
These pickles keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Pickled daikon and carrots, ready for serving
Pickled Ginger
Pickled ginger is most popular in Japan, where it invariably accompanies sushi and sashimi. The commercially prepared pickles often have added red food coloring but traditionally it is colored with red shiso leaves (perilla) as it is here.
¼ lb (125 g) young ginger root
¼ cup (65 ml) rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sake
2 tablespoons sugar
6 red shiso (perilla) leaves
In a small saucepan, bring the rice vinegar, mirin, sake, and sugar to a gentle boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Cool the liquid.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Brush the ginger under running water, slice thinly, and then blanch slices for 1 minute. Drain the ginger and then transfer it into a sterilized half-pint canning jar, layering it evenly with the whole shiso leaves. Pour the cooled liquid over the ginger. Cover and let marry for 3 days in the refrigerator before serving. The ginger will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes ½ pint (250 ml).
Pickled Mustard Cabbage
Pickled mustard cabbage is a staple in much of Asia. Mai Truong helped me make it the way her Vietnamese mother taught her. Small amounts of the mustard are used to add flavor to stir-fries. It can be eaten over rice for a simple meal, or enjoyed as a condiment. Alum is used to make the pickle crunchier and to retain some of the green color but it is not a critical ingredient. You can get alum at pharmacies and Asian grocery stores. If you can’t make your own, you can buy pickled mustard in the refrigerated section of most Asian markets.
3 quarts (3 liters) water
½ cup (150 g) kosher salt
4 cups (800 g) sugar
2 large Chinese mustards (look for solid-hearted varieties such as Amsoi)
1 teaspoon solid alum or ½ teaspoon powdered alum
Bring the water to a boil; add the salt and sugar. Stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Cool the liquid to room temperature.
Wash the mustard and cut a slit a few inches deep in the large base so the pickling liquid can penetrate the flesh. In a large pot, bring about 4 quarts (4 liters) of water to a rolling boil. Add the alum. Blanch the mustard for about 30 seconds. Drain and cool the mustard to room temperature.
Put the mustard into a large plastic container that can be sealed. Pour the pickling liquid over the mustard; make sure the entire surface is submerged. (If you don’t have enough, make up more pickling liquid and add it.) Put the mustard in a cool, dark place to pickle for a week. The pickled mustard keeps in the refrigerator for a few weeks. Makes 6 cups (725 g) or about 1½ pounds.
Chinese mustard cabbage, before and after pickling
Pickled ginger, a Japanese staple
italian fundamentals
This section includes information about preparing and enjoying some of Italy’s most fundamental and flexible foods. Because Italian cuisine is elegant and simple, it is especially important to begin with the freshest and best of ingredients—like the vegetables, herbs, and fruits from your own garden or local farmers’ market.
Roasted Pimientos
Use these peppers to add zing to your sandwiches, soups, pasta dishes, and sauces.
Approximately 12 large pimiento peppers
8 garlic cloves
¾ to 1 cup (190–250 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Roast the peppers under the broiler or on the grill until blackened but not cooked through, peel them, and remove the seeds and stem ends. Layer the peppers in a quart jar with a good seal.
Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the back of a chef’s knife. In a small frying pan, heat the oil and slowly sauté the garlic over low heat for about 5 minutes. Do not brown the garlic. Remove the garlic and slowly pour the oil over the peppers. Occasionally run a rubber spatula carefully around the sides of the jar to allow the oil to fill all the air pockets. Refrigerate.
Half an hour before using, take the peppers out of the oil and drain them. Let them come to room temperature and serve them as part of an antipasto or use them in other recipes. Makes 1 quart (1 liter).
Dried Tomatoes
Dried tomatoes have an intense flavor and can be used in a multitude of recipes, from vinaigrettes to sauces and soups. They keep for months in a cool, dark, dry place or when frozen. If you have a problem with meal moths, store the tomatoes in the freezer. To soften and rehydrate them for use in sandwiches and sauces, pour boiling water or stock over them and let them sit for a few minutes, or until the skins are soft. The liquid from the rehydrated tomatoes is great for adding flavor to dishes.
Wash the tomatoes and drain them dry. Cut the tomatoes in half (cut 2- to 3-inch [5- to 7.5-cm] paste tomatoes into three or four slices) and place them skin-side down on the dehydrator tray. Put the tray in the food dehydrator and follow the directions for drying tomatoes. Different models have different heat- and time-setting recommendations.
If you have a gas oven with a pilot light, you can put the tomatoes on racks and dry them using only the heat from the pilot light (keep the door closed). It takes about 3 days to dry tomatoes this way.
Tomatoes can also be dried in the sun in hot, arid climates. Lay the tomatoes out on a clean window screen that is plastic-coated (or otherwise not made of metal). Place the screen in a very sunny location and cover it with another screen to keep off the flies. Bring the tomatoes in at night to get them out of the dew. Depending on the weather, they will dry in 3 to 7 days. Dry them until they are leathery and not sticky.
Transfer thoroughly dried tomatoes into zippered, freezer-strength plastic bags. Store them in a cool, dry, dark closet.
Basil in Parmesan
This recipe, from Rose Marie Nichols McGee, of Nichols Garden Nursery in Oregon, is a great way to preserve the taste of basil for the winter. It’s been so popular, she’s had it in her herb catalog since 1982. As she says, “I never tire of fresh tomatoes sprinkled with this blend. Use it on salads, pasta, and fresh or cooked tomato dishes. This recipe makes a good basis for a later preparation of pesto. Small jars frozen and presented as gifts later in the year will be much appreciated.” It stays fresh in the refrigerator for one week. Freeze it for longer storage.
1 bunch fresh green basil
Approximately ¾ cup (65 g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Rinse the basil and dry it in a salad spinner. Roll a handful of basil leaves into a bunch and with a sharp knife cut the leaves into a thin chiffonade. Repeat the process with the rest of the basil. You should have about 1¼ cups (55 g) chopped. In a half-pint canning jar with a tight-fitting lid, layer ¼ inch (6 mm) of Parmesan cheese on the bottom, then layer ¼ inch (6 mm) of basil, then layer another ¼ inch (6 mm) of Parmesan, and so on. Press down firmly on the top to remove any air pockets, and then sprinkle on a final layer of Parmesan. Makes about 2 cups (75 g).
PESTO
Pesto is generally defined as a paste of olive oil, garlic, nuts, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil and is a specialty of the area around Genoa, Italy. It is served as a sauce for pasta or is used as a flavoring for soup. But many modern chefs adhere to a more general definition, making a pesto with cilantro, peanuts, and peanut oil; mint with corn oil and walnuts; or even dry, without oil. The dry pesto has fewer applications, but again, it is a way to preserve that fresh flavor. Pestos are versatile as toppings for pizza, pastas, stews, and soups. Most can be incorporated into sauces for meats and mixed with yogurt, mayonnaise, or sour cream into dressings for salads. Finally, pesto freezes well and is a way to preserve the herb’s flavor after the season is past. The following recipes are for a classic basil pesto and a dry rosemary pesto. They may be frozen in small canning jars and kept for four to six months. When freezing, leave out the cheese and add it just before serving. To prevent discoloration, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pesto before you freeze it.
All sorts of herbs can be used to make pesto. Rosemary is ideal for making a dry pesto to serve on minestrone soup or over a rich lamb stew.
Classic Pesto
Serve this pesto over fettuccine, or other pasta, either dry or fresh. Try combining cooked green snap beans with the noodles for a lovely variation.
3 garlic cloves
2 cups (85 g) fresh basil leaves
¼ cup (25 g) pine nuts or walnuts
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup (190 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup (45 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, basil leaves, nuts, salt, pepper, and half the oil. Purée, slowly adding the remaining oil. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the grated cheese, mixing thoroughly. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap, since basil pesto turns brown if exposed to air. If you are going to serve this pesto over pasta, you may need to add a few tablespoons of cooking water to the pesto to make it the right consistency for the pasta. Makes approximately 1¼ cups (300 g).
Rosemary Pesto
Sometimes I make this pesto in a blender, but I find I must mince the garlic and finely chop the rosemary, or they don’t blend properly. This pesto is added to a minestrone or tomato soup or sprinkled over a pizza before baking.
3 large garlic cloves, minced
Handful of fresh Italian parsley leaves
Leaves from 2 (3-in/8-cm) sprigs of fresh rosemary
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ dried hot pepper
In a mortar, put the garlic, parsley, rosemary, Parmesan cheese, and hot pepper. Pound the ingredients with the pestle to a crumbly paste and serve. Makes about ½ cup (40 g).
mexican essentials
The following recipes are some of the building blocks of Mexican cuisine, and can enrich countless dishes. Many Mexican meals require quite a bit of preparation time, but this time commitment can be lessened for individual meals by keeping these standard components on hand.
Refried Beans
Refried beans are a staple in Mexico and one we could all use in our repertoire. I had problems making them until Luis Torres, friend and cooking maven, walked me through the process. He found I’d not been cooking the beans and oil long enough before mashing them. They were too firm to get smooth and velvety.
The thickness of the finished bean purée is a matter of taste. A thicker paste is good for burritos and tacos so they won’t drip, but a moist, creamy product is great to accompany huevos rancheros. To change the consistency of your refried beans add more or less bean liquid or water. Some cooks prefer to use more oil than is called for here; others like less.
1 lb (500 g) dry pinto, Peruano, or black beans
1 to 3 cloves garlic
6 cups (1.5 liter) boiling water
½ cup (125 ml) corn oil
½ to 1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large pot, wash and sort through the beans and eliminate foreign matter and spoiled beans. Add garlic and water; bring back to the boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer beans for 1 to 1½ hours or until tender. (Freshly harvested beans take less time than older ones.) Drain the beans and reserve the liquid.
Pour the oil in a large frying pan. Turn the heat on high and carefully (they splatter) add drained beans and 1¼ cups (315 ml) of the bean liquid. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes or until the beans are fairly soft. Add more liquid if the beans are getting dry. Turn the heat down and mash them a little at a time with a potato masher. Again, add more bean liquid if they get too dry. Add the cumin and salt and pepper, adjust the seasonings, and remove from heat. Serves 4 as a side dish.
Beans, primarily dry ones, are a staple in the Mexican diet. The dozens of varieties differ subtly in both flavor and texture, as seen in these two dishes of refried beans made with different types of beans.
Toasted Vegetables
The most common vegetables that are toasted in Mexico are onions, garlic, tomatoes, tomatillos, and small green chilies. The handiest and most traditional way to toast them is on a comal. This flat cast-iron griddle is invaluable for Mexican cooking, inexpensive, and available from many mail-order sources and Mexican markets. (I now keep one on the stove at all times for warming tortillas and toasting bread, nuts, vegetables, and herbs.)
To toast vegetables, heat the comal over fairly high heat and place whole tomatoes, hulled tomatillos, halved and quartered large onions, small green chilies, or unpeeled garlic on the comal. Turning occasionally (chef’s tongs work especially well), cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the vegetables start to blacken. Once cooked, sweat tomatoes and chilies for a few minutes in a paper or plastic bag for ease of peeling. Peel the toasted vegetables. They are now ready for making into sauce, soup, or salsa. (Rick Bayless, Mexican cooking maven, recommends lining the comal with aluminum foil before roasting tomatoes to avoid the juicy mess. Diana Kennedy suggests that, if roasting large quantities, you broil the tomatoes on a baking sheet a few inches from a hot broiler for 10 to 12 minutes, turning them occasionally.)
If you don’t have a comal, use a dry cast-iron frying pan or griddle. Roasting vegetables on an outdoor charcoal barbecue or gas grill works well too, especially for large batches of vegetables.
Roasted Peppers
Roasting large chilies calls for a different technique, as the peppers are seldom smooth and the skins need to be evenly charred. You can roast a few large peppers by holding them on a fork in a gas cooktop flame for a few minutes. Turn them constantly to make the skin blacken and blister evenly. If you have an electric stove, put them under the broiler and char them the same way, or char them over a gas grill. If using the broiler of a home oven, brushing the chilies with a little oil helps them to roast more quickly and evenly. (The goals are to have the chilies roasted but still somewhat firm inside and to make the skins come off readily.) Put the charred peppers in a paper bag to steam for a few minutes for ease of peeling. Scrape the skin off, and stem and seed the chilies. At this point, you can leave them whole for stuffing, cut them into strips, or chop them, depending on the recipe. (If your hands are sensitive, use latex gloves. To prevent burning your eyes, do not rub them while you work with chilies.) Roasted chilies (and tomatoes, too) freeze well in sealable freezer bags.
Comals like this one are important tools in the Mexican kitchen. If you don’t have one of your own, you can use a dry cast-iron frying pan.
Dried Chilies
Mexicans appreciate the deep, toasty flavors of dried chilies and use them in salsas, most soups and stews, and numerous appetizers. Because the flesh of the majority of hot peppers is thin, they are easy to dry. Further, some of the varieties arguably taste better in that form. One thick-walled pepper, the jalapeño, is also dried—in this case, by first smoking it. The smoked and dried jalapeño, called a chipotle, adds a lovely smoky flavor to sauces and soups.
To dry thin-walled peppers, first choose peppers that are fully ripe and unblemished. If you live in an arid climate, you can dry peppers on a screen in a warm dry place out of the sun and dew. Stir the peppers every day or so to promote even drying. If the peppers are large, they dry more readily if you cut a slit in the side. In rainy climates, or if the peppers are unripe, they must be dried in a dehydrator, in a gas oven using only the pilot light, or in an electric oven at 150°F (65°C) for about 12 hours. Cut slits in the side of the peppers and rotate them occasionally. (The tiny bird peppers dry so readily they need only to be placed on a sunny windowsill for a few days.) Once your peppers are brittle, to keep them dry and the insects under control, store them in a jar with a lid or in a sealable freezer-strength plastic bag.
To bring out their rich flavors, dried chilies are often toasted on a hot comal for 30 seconds or until they release their perfume. To reconstitute the chilies, break them into a few pieces, put them in a bowl, pour hot water over them, and let them sit for 20 to 30 minutes before draining. For some recipes the water is retained and added to the recipe. The chilies can then be ground into a paste and added to sauces or combined with garlic and other spices to create a mole or salsa.
MOLES AND SALSAS
No discussion of Mexican cuisine would be complete without covering salsas and Mexico’s special sauces.
Salsas are ubiquitous in Mexico and the fastest-growing segment of the North American condiment market as well. Chilies, both fresh or dried, are the common denominator in salsas and the infinite variations range widely in flavor and spiciness, depending on the technique and ingredients used. While the most common salsas are tomato based, in Mexico, one also enjoys salsas of different roasted, fresh chopped chilies mixed with a little lime juice, green salsas made from either cactus paddles or cucumbers, tomatillo-based salsas, and even one made with ground pumpkin seeds and Mexican crema (similar to crème fraîche).
For centuries, most salsas and moles were made into a paste using a lava rock molcajete, a mortar, and a tejolote, a pestle. This process grinds the ingredients and produces a characteristic desirable texture. Few cooks today use these ancient tools; the blender makes it easier to purée sauces and some salsas (not a food processor, as it does an uneven job). Ingredients to be blended must first be chopped or they will blend unevenly and become too soupy by the time the large pieces are done. Blend on low to control the texture. Blender aside, many fresh tomato and tomatillo sauces have the best texture if you chop the ingredients by hand.
Mexican salsas and moles are spicy affairs. Chilies, of course, but also toasted garlic and onions and many spices, including black pepper, cumin, coriander, cloves, and cinnamon, are common ingredients.
Mole Verde (Green Mole with Vegetables and Seeds)
Moles are an integral part of Mexican cuisine and have numerous variations. Nancy Zaslavsky, author of invaluable books on Mexican cooking, including A Cook’s Tour of Mexico and Meatless Mexican Home Cooking, contributed this recipe. It was inspired from her work with Juanita Gomez de Hernández in Tehuacán. Nancy recommends serving it over beans, chunks of steamed green vegetables, or rice dishes. I like it in tamales. (For information on toasting vegetables and roasting large chilies, see page 35.)
6 poblano chilies
1 lb (500 g) tomatillos
4 jalapeños, stemmed, with seeds intact
1 white onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
½ lb (250 g) unsalted, raw shelled green pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
¼ cup (25 g) chopped walnuts or pecans
¼ cup (35 g) chopped almonds
2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth or water
2 teaspoons salt
6 grinds of black pepper
½ cup (15 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
Toast the poblanos. Peel, stem, and remove the seeds and put them in a blender container.
Husk the tomatillos and wash them. Toast the tomatillos and jalapeños on a comal and put them in the blender. Toast the onions and garlic and put them in the blender. Blend the vegetables.
Toast the pumpkin seeds (they will jump around and pop). Put them in the blender. Toast the nuts. Blend them with the pumpkin seeds and ½ cup (125 ml) water.
In a large, heavy pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the seed-nut paste and fry it, stirring, for 30 seconds. Turn the heat down to simmer and add the tomatillo mixture, adding more oil, if necessary. Add the broth, salt, and pepper. Cook until all the broth is incorporated and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Blend the parsley with enough water to purée and add. Taste carefully and adjust the seasonings. Serves 6.
Salsa Verde (Tomatillo Salsa)
This traditional green salsa is made from tomatillos. Try it with roasted or barbecued pork, scrambled eggs, tamales, burritos, and in tacos. It keeps for about 5 days in the refrigerator. (For more salsa recipes, see pages 127 and 130.)
20 large tomatillos about 1½-in (4-cm) in diameter
1 tablespoon oil
2 or 3 fresh serrano or jalapeño peppers, minced
1 medium white onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Husk the tomatillos and wash them. Put them in a saucepan, add ½ cup (125 ml) water, and simmer them, covered, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, cool, and mince.
Heat the oil in a nonstick sauté pan and add the tomatillos, chilies, onions, garlic, and sugar. Cook the vegetables over medium heat, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the salt. Cool, stir in the cilantro, and serve. Makes 2½ cups (625 ml).
Although salsa is often made with tomatoes (left), tomatillo salsa (right) is a tasty— and green!—alternative.
sweet things
With a little imagination, your garden can enrich every meal of the day—and desserts, too! Sweet edible flowers and herbs can be used to add an exciting new dimension to sugar or honey and make delicious flavorings for fancy treats like jelly and flavored whipped creams.
Lavender Sugar
Making fragrant lavender sugar takes about a month. Use it to flavor cookies, lemonade, and hot or cold teas.
½ cup (15 g) dried lavender leaves and flowers
2 cups (450 g) superfine sugar, or finely ground granulated sugar (sometimes called baker’s sugar)
In a jar with a tight lid, mix the dried lavender and the superfine sugar. Shake it occasionally to equally distribute the sugar. After about 3 to 4 weeks the oils of the lavender will have flavored the sugar. Sift the mixture through a large strainer to remove the lavender. Store the sugar in its jar for up to a year. Makes 2 cups (450 g).
Rose Petal Honey
Robin Sanders and Bruce Naftaly of Le Gourmand restaurant in Seattle use this honey to make baklava, transforming an already delicious dessert into something divine. They also suggest using this honey in other desserts, meat glazes, and tea. When using rose honey in your favorite baklava recipe (Joy of Cooking has one; eliminate the orange water, though), also sprinkle a few chopped honeyed rose petals on the nut mixture and use fresh or candied roses as garnish.
Petals from 10 unsprayed roses, preferably the fragrant old-fashioned types, such as ‘Belle of Portugal,’ any of the rugosa roses, damasks, and the eglantine rose
1 cup (250 ml) honey
Rinse the rose petals briefly in cold water and dry them in a salad spinner. In a nonaluminum pan, slowly heat the honey until runny. With a wooden spoon stir in the rose petals, cover, and steep over extremely low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Strain the honey through a fine sieve, and reserve petals for another use. Makes about 1 cup (250 ml).
Quick Rose-scented Geranium Apple Jelly
This is a creation of Carole Saville, author and herb expert. If you want a more strongly flavored jelly, add another scented geranium leaf to the recipe.
¼ cup (30 g) fresh raspberries
3 large rose-scented geranium leaves
One 10-oz (285-g) jar apple jelly
Petals from 18 rose-scented geranium flowers
In a pretty jar, rose petal honey can be a wonderful gift.
Place the raspberries in a strainer placed over a small bowl. With the back of a spoon mash the berries against the side of the strainer to extract the juice. Set the juice aside.
Wash and thoroughly dry the geranium leaves. Finely chop the leaves and tie them in a square of cheesecloth.
Pour the apple jelly into a saucepan and quickly bring it to a boil. Stir in the reserved raspberry juice, then add the bag of geranium leaves. Stir the mixture for 1 minute, then cover tightly, and remove from heat. Let the jelly cool for about 20 minutes. Uncover the pan and, with the back of a spoon, press the bag of geranium leaves against the side of the pan to extract all the juice. Discard the bag of geranium leaves. Stir in the geranium petals. Pour the still-warm jelly into a hot, sterilized jar. Put on the lid and allow the jelly to cool (it should take approximately an hour). Refrigerate and use within two weeks. Makes 10 ounces (285 g).
Rose-scented geranium jelly can be used between layers of pound cake or piped into delicate rolled cookies to make little treats to serve at a shower or fancy party.
Mint Whipped Cream
Nobody can boast of the health aspects of cream, but it sure does taste good. Add mint to the cream, whip it to serve with chocolate cake, steep it with savory for a sauce for potatoes and leeks, or steep it with basil and add it to custard. Flavored creams are the greatest.
¼ cup (20 g) chopped fresh spearmint or peppermint
1½ cups (375 ml) whipping cream
1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the mint and cream in a small saucepan over a low heat until small bubbles just begin to form around the sides of the pan. Do not let the cream boil. Cool. Pour the cream through a mesh strainer and discard the mint. Chill.
Just before serving, place the cream in a mixing bowl and whip it until the cream just starts to hold its shape. Add the sugar slowly as you mix. Add the vanilla and continue to whip until soft peaks form. Makes 1½ cups (180 g).
Decadent and delicious, mint-flavored whipped cream is a good complement to rich, dark chocolate desserts.
