Recipes that make good use of herbs

October 4, 2007 12:00 am

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SOUTHWESTERN CORN

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  • 4 ears corn, kernels cut off
  • 3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions
  • 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Salt to taste

Combine first five ingredients and saute over medium-high heat until tomatoes start to liquefy. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in black beans, cilantro and salt. If the mixture looks dry, add 1/4 cup water. Heat just to boiling and serve.

--Jane Thompson, Herb Society of America Sangre de Cristo Unit


CHICKEN WITH LIME AND SPICES

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  • 4 boneless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the marinade

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Cut chicken breasts into 5/8-inch strips. Add chicken strips to marinade, cover and allow to marinate several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Drain chicken.

Heat olive oil in a medium pan, add chicken. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned and tender.

-- Mark Ragland and Scott Norton, Virginia Commonwealth Unit


RED PEPPER RELISH

  • 4 cups finely chopped sweet red peppers ("lipstick" pimientos are best)
  • 2 tablespoons sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh fennel seeds

Mix peppers and salt in a glass bowl, let stand overnight in the refrigerator. Drain peppers. Combine peppers with remaining ingredients in a stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens slightly. If liquid boils down too much, cover the pan. Spoon relish into sterilized 8-ounce jars. Screw on tops and process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes.

Yields 3 jars.

-- Nancy Hanst, Western Pennsylvania Unit


LEMON BALM CAKE

  • 1 stick butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped lemon balm leaves
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • Grated rind of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

For the glaze:

  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1/4 cup lemon balm leaves, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom and sides of a large loaf pan (or 2 small).

Cream butter with lemon balm. Add sugar and eggs and beat well. Sift together the salt, cake flour and baking powder. Add sifted ingredients to creamed ingredients and beat together. Stir in the lemon zest and pecans, then pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes (depending on size of pan), or until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

While cake is baking, blend together glaze ingredients.

When cake is removed from the oven, pour the glaze over the top and allow it to sit in the pan for several hours. Remove from pan and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to sit overnight for flavors to blend.

-- Arlene Popko, Western Pennsylvania Unit


PARSLEY SALAD DRESSING

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  • 1 bunch fresh parsley (standard grocery store bunch)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped chives
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until mixed.

-- Eleanor Davis, former member, Western Pennsylvania Unit

HERBAL GARLIC SOUP

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Lemon zest, lemon balm and lemon thyme give this soup its delicate fragrance and flavor.

-- Patricia Lowry

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh garlic
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh celery or lovage leaves
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1/2 cup cooked, shredded chicken, if desired
  • 1/2 cup chopped greens (spinach, dandelion, sorrel or Swiss chard)
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (lemon thyme is good)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemon balm
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
  • 1 teaspoon calendula petals (seasonal)

Lightly saute garlic and celery or lovage in olive oil, honey and lemon peel until tender. Add chicken and vegetable stock and greens (also add chicken if desired). Simmer for 15 minutes or until greens are soft. Add herbs and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Whisk in the egg white and remove from heat. Sprinkle with grated cheese and calendula leaves to serve.

Yields 4 servings.

-- Ed Pierzynski, South Jersey Unit


SOFRITO

  • 1 head garlic
  • 2 seeded green peppers
  • 2 medium onions
  • 6 tablespoons fresh basil
  • 6 tablespoons fresh oregano
  • 6 tablespoons fresh rosemary
  • 6 tablespoons cilantro, or more to taste
  • White wine vinegar

Blend all ingredients with enough vinegar to make a thick paste. Adjust seasoning with freshly ground black pepper as you wish. Keep refrigerated.

-- Dorothy Bonitz, North Carolina Unit




First Published October 4, 2007 12:00 am

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