From salads to entrees, herbs add fresh flavor
By JANET K. KEELER
Published April 18, 2007
Fresh herbs are so widely available these days that it's a shame not to take advantage of the flavor punch they bring to homemade dishes.
Ribbons of basil over tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Feathery dill mixed with yogurt and cucumber slices. Muddled mint leaves in iced tea or, most deliciously, a mojito.
Some herbs, especially the woodsy ones such as rosemary, oregano and marjoram, need to be cooked. Others, like flat-leaf parsley, cilantro and basil, lose their punch when heated. They are better used as finishing touches. (See guide on 1E for more information.)
The best way to handle fresh herbs after you get them home is to rinse lightly, then dry. Store them in the refrigerator in an upright glass with a bit of water in the bottom, like an herbal bouquet. Snip off leaves and stems as needed.
You can substitute dried herbs for fresh in a ratio of 1 to 3. For example, if the recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of minced fresh basil, use 1 tablespoon dried.
My biggest problem with fresh herbs is what to do with them after I've snipped off the 2 tablespoons or so needed for a recipe. Often, I leave them to crinkle and die a muddy death in the fridge.
To use up fresh herbs that don't need cooking, add them to green salads in any combination you'd like. You'll be surprised at how much they enliven the same old thing. It's quite refreshing to bite into a leaf of tarragon or basil when mixed with mild baby greens.
For herbs that need cooking, add them to scrambled eggs, vegetable dishes or even canned soups to spark freshness.
Here are some recipes that call for flavorful fresh herbs.
SIDE DISH
Mashed Potatoes with Rosemary and Leeks
2 pounds potatoes, unpeeled
1 small leek, white part only, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
2 tablespoons white wine or chicken broth
2 tablespoons nonfat milk
4 tablespoons nonfat sour cream
Salt and white pepper
- Cut potatoes into quarters and cook in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.- Spray a small saucepan with nonstick cooking spray, and cook the leek and garlic until lightly brown. Add the rosemary and continue to cook 2 more minutes. Add wine or chicken broth. Add warm mixture to potatoes and blend using a mixer on low speed. Slowly add milk and then sour cream and season with salt and white pepper.
Serves 6.
Source: www.about.com.
ENTREE
Baked Pasta with Chicken, Peas and Farmer's Cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil, more for greasing
Coarse salt
1 pound penne or ziti
2 1/2 cups diced, cooked chicken
10 ounces farmer's or ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups frozen petite peas
8 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs or panko, toasted (see note)-
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with oil (or vegetable spray).- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a couple of tablespoons of salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until it's just tender, about 11 minutes. (It's all right if the pasta is still a little firm, as it will continue to cook in the oven.)- Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the chicken, farmer's cheese, peas, tomatoes, mint and thyme and stir well. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the top evenly with the Parmesan and bread crumbs, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the bread crumbs are browned and the pasta is hot throughout, about 15 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 6.
Note: Layer fresh bread crumbs on a baking sheet and toast at 375 degrees until lightly browned. Panko is a large-flake Japanese bread crumb. Look for them where bread crumbs are stocked. They can sometimes be found near the seafood counter because they are often used to bread shrimp for frying.
Source: 150 Things to Make With Roast Chicken by Tony Rosenfeld (Taunton, 2007).
SALAD
Margarita Shrimp Salad
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano chili, stemmed, seeded and finely diced
1/3 cup tequila
2 tablespoons Triple Sec or Grand Marnier
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground or 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled, deveined and slit along the backs
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For salad:
Vegetable oil for frying tortillas
4 corn tortillas, 6 inches in diameter, cut into julienne strips
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tomato, cored, seeded and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
6 cups torn Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and thoroughly dried
For the shrimp: - Combine the cilantro, garlic, chili, tequila, Triple Sec, lime juice and cumin in a nonreactive bowl. Add the shrimp, turn to coat, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Drain the shrimp and reserve the marinade.- In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the reserved marinade to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until reduced by half. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl, and let cool. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.- Prepare a barbecue grill or preheat a broiler. Grill or broil the shrimp until just pink, about 1 minute per side. Keep warm.
For the salad: - Fill a small skillet with oil to a depth of about 1 inch and place over medium heat. When the oil is about 375 degrees, fry the tortilla strips in batches until light brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with chili powder while still warm.- In a large bowl, mix together the tomato, bell pepper and lettuce. Toss with the marinade-oil dressing and divide among 4 large plates or shallow bowls. Top the salad with grilled shrimp and fried tortilla strips. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Source: Savor the Southwest by Barbara Pool Fenzl with Jane Horn (Bay Books, 1999).
ENTREE
Linguine with Fresh Herbs
1 pound linguine
2 teaspoons coarse salt plus 1/2 teaspoon
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh bread crumbs made from cubed Italian or French bread, including crust, coarsely ground in food processor or blender
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup loosely packed chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme-
Cook pasta in 6 quarts boiling water with 2 teaspoons coarse salt until al dente. While pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.- In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and toast until golden, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl. In same skillet, heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over low heat. Add onion and saute, stirring frequently, until soft but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until soft, about 30 seconds. Stir in chicken broth and simmer until heated. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Transfer mixture to pasta bowl, add fresh herbs, and stir to combine. - Drain pasta, transfer to pasta bowl, and toss with herb mixture. Sprinkle toasted bread crumbs on top and serve.
Serves 6.
Source: Lean Italian Cooking by Anne Casale (Fawcett Columine, 1994)