Lavender & Mint Herbal Bouquet

Herbal bouquets are a great way to dress up your windowsills and your meals.  (Beverages, too!)  Most herbs are sturdy plants that will last a week or more in a vase, especially if you refresh them with cool water every day.  And the best part about having herbs close at hand is that you’re more likely to use them: a few fresh mint leaves in your tea, a sprig of thyme tucked into your chicken and pasta, some fresh lavender sprinkled over your salad.  You can make bouquets out of herbs you cut from your garden or fresh herbs that you buy at the store or farmer’s market.

As cooler days approach, you can keep the indoor herbs tradition going by transplanting some outside herbs into a pot and placing them in a warm and sunny spot inside.  (But be careful not to put them right next to a heat vent, because too much hot air will dry them out.)  Indoor herbs will add natural fragrance to whatever room they’re in.  Some of them — sage and chives come to mind — are so powerfully pungent that you may actually want to leave them outside.  If your formerly outdoor plants don’t take kindly to being shuttled inside, try growing new plants from seeds.  As long as you give them nutritious, well-drained soil, they ought to sprout within 7 to 10 days.

In the meantime, enjoy your fresh-cut herbal bouquets!

Mint & Lemon Verbena Tea

Now that herb gardens are in full swing and so is the hot weather, take advantage of both!  Most leafy green herbs make a refreshing herbal “tea.”  (I say “tea” because true teas by definition contain leaves from the tea plant, camellia sinensis.  If it doesn’t have tea in it, it can’t really be tea…but by this point, we’ve gotten used to calling anything that’s leafy, green, and steeped “tea,” so I’ll just go ahead and say tea.  For the record, though, non-tea steeped beverages are infusions.)

You can make fresh herbal teas the same way you’d make regular bagged tea: pour boiling or almost-boiling water over the leaves and let them steep.  I like to let mine steep for at least 10 minutes before I add ice cubes and make the hot tea into a refreshing chilled tea.  I also like to crush the leaves with my fingers before I pour water over them — that way, they’ll release more of their flavors.

Aside from the joy of harvesting your own food from your own garden or windowsill, another big bonus of making herbal teas is that they’re caffeine-free.  (The tea plant naturally contains caffeine, but seeing as you’re not using actual tea plant leaves…)  And if you’re a big caffeine fan and a tea purist, you could combine your fresh herbs with bagged green tea leaves and enjoy the best of both worlds!

A Few Herbal Tea Combinations:

• Mint & Lemon Verbena
• Rosemary & Lavender
• Basil & Thyme
• Dill & Parsley

Pink "Peppercorns"

Corned beef has nothing to do with corn — at least, not the kind of corn we usually think of.  Peppercorns don’t have anything to do with corn, either.  And it turns out that pink peppercorns don’t have anything to do with corn OR pepper.  How’s that for a “huh”?

A “corn” in old-time (or olde thyme) English parlance meant something small, bitty, and hard.  Nowadays, we’d probably use the word “grain” to describe that kind of thing — for example, a grain of sand or a grain of salt.  But back then, salt-brined beef wasn’t “grained,” it was “corned,” hence corned beef.  Had we named peppercorns within the last hundred years, they probably would have been peppergrains.  And now doesn’t the idea of having corns on your feet make more sense, too?

That explains the “corn” part.  The fact that pink peppercorns also don’t have anything to do with pepper stems from the fact that while white, green, and black peppercorns are all stages of the same fruit from the same plant — in the same way that white, green, and black tea are all leaves from the camellia sinensis plant in various stages of oxidation — pink “peppercorns” are from an entirely different plant (commonly known as Brazilian Pepper, Rose Pepper, and/or Peruvian Pepper; the others are just called Black Pepper).  If you look closely at each color peppercorn in a pepper mix, you’ll see that the white, green, and black ones look much more alike than do the pink ones.  And if you taste them singly, you’ll discover that the pink peppercorn doesn’t taste very peppery at all — rather, it’s reminiscent of cinnamon and allspice.  (One of my friends whom I had try various peppercorns said the pink ones tasted like candy.)

Despite the fact that pink peppercorns aren’t what their name implies, they’re my new favorite spice.  And to think I’ve been overlooking them all this time!  I now use pink peppercorns both by themselves and to create a custom proportion of mixed peppercorns.  It’s easy enough to make your own blend — just pour in more of whichever color you like best.  Many markets nowadays stock jars of all white peppercorns, all pink, all green, etc.  Once in a while, I even crush the pink peppercorns with a mortar and pestle to maximize their fresh spiciness and beautiful color.

Try a pink peppercorn or two and judge for yourself!

Nasturtium Atop a Salad

You can add visual appeal, flavor, and exotic flair to any dish just by topping it with an edible flower or two.    (Which you probably already have growing in your backyard.)  Sprinkle rose petals onto a bowl of vanilla ice cream, and suddenly you have a romantic dessert guaranteed to knock the socks off of a Valentine date.  Slip little violets into your ice-cube trays before freezing and then watch your dinner guests’ reactions when you serve them drinks adorned with frozen, floating flowers.

The blossoms from basil, chamomile, dill, lavender, mint, rosemary, sage, and thyme can all be scattered into salads, soups, and main dishes…or make fresh tea with them.  You can even use the flowers from everyday clovers and dandelions.  (Makes you redefine “weeds,” doesn’t it?)  Just be sure that you choose flowers from organic sources — if you’ve sprayed your lawn with pesticides or fertilizers, don’t eat anything from it.  Florists are also not the best source of edible flowers since they typically aren’t focused on organic growing methods.  You’re better off either buying edible flowers from a produce market where they’re intended to be eaten or cultivating your own organic garden.  For a comprehensive list of edible flowers and their characteristics, check out The Organic Cook’s Bible.

To create this salad, I tossed cucumbers, apricots, pinenuts, leftover cooked green beans, and a medium-sharp cow’s milk cheese with some balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.  It was a nice mixture in and of itself, but then I decided to make it really special by snipping a few nasturtium flowers off of the plant in my backyard and using them as edible garnish.  They added just the right amount of pepperiness and zip!

So the next time you’re thinking about trimming back a lilac bush or ripping out some impatiens, consider putting a few blossoms on your plate (yes, lilac flowers and impatiens are both edible).  Even if you don’t eat them, they’ll add a new level of interest to whatever you’re serving.

Enjoy!

Spices with Mortar & Pestle

Spices have always made the world go ’round: during the Greco-Roman era, the Incense Route (which stretched from Egypt to India) played host to traders buying and selling spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, and cardamom; during the Middle Ages, the key players in the spice commerce were Arab traders and the Republic of Venice.  (Venice functioned as the gateway between the Arab world–where the spices were shipped in from the Far East–and the European world.)  As the flow of exotic spices continued, they went from being luxuries to becoming necessities, and the European powers became determined to establish their own trade routes.

Despite the determination of the would-be spice purveyors, the east-to-west chain wasn’t broken until Magellan’s voyage in the first half of the sixteenth century.  (Columbus had tried to sail west to find India, but instead of landing in the Far East, the winds led him to America’s shores.)  When Europeans finally did find a way to circumvent their competitors’ channels, fierce competition for the precious spices broke out amongst the colonial powers.

Though the spice-trade fervor has cooled since the eighteenth century, spices continue to excite our tastebuds and introduce us to new flavors and cultures.  Here is a sampling of my favorites.

Berbere is a spice mix used in Ethopian cooking.  It’s primarily added to stews–it makes for a very exotic chili!–but I also like to add it to lamb dishes and hearty vegetarian casseroles.  Just one teaspoon per pound of meat/9×13 pan of vegetables/pot of stew can transform a ho-hum meal into a memorable one.  Be sure to spoon the individual spices into a clean glass jar (I save my empty spice jars and re-use them) and store it in a cool, dark place.

This makes enough for a small sampling of berbere–it’s very easily doubled.

2 T. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/16 tsp. cloves (also considered to be a “dash”)
1/16 tsp. cinnamon
1/16 tsp. allspice
1/16 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. fenugreek (if you don’t have this and aren’t much of a spice hunter, you can substitute celery salt)

Before using, shake jar to thoroughly mix spices.

Jerk seasoning is another exotic favorite and goes well with everything from chicken and pork to shrimp and firm-fleshed white fish. This Caribbean specialty gets its unique flavor from the preponderance of allspice. (Which is normally only found in desserts within American cuisine.) Due to the inclusion of lime and garlic, this is more of a sauce than a seasoning–use it within 10 days of storing it in the refrigerator.

In a small bowl, mix:
1 T. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cayenne (or less/more, depending on your taste)
2 T. brown sugar

In a small pan, sauteé over medium heat:
2 T. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced

When garlic is fragrant (2-3 minutes), add spice mixture and continue to cook, stirring, until the sugar has melted and the mixture is clumping together. (About 2 more minutes.) Be careful not to let the mixture burn!

Let the mixture cool, then put in a blender and blend with:
1 tsp. white pepper
1 T. thyme
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ginger
1 small onion, minced
1/3 c. lime (or lemon) juice
1/2 c. red wine vinegar

Refrigerate mixture in a tightly-sealed jar for up to 10 days.

Although there are as many kinds of curry powders as there are cooks, I prefer the basic version given in The Joy of Cooking–it’s simple to make and you probably already have the ingredients. (Also, I’m a big fan of turmeric.) Curry powder makes a great instant seasoning for rice pilafs, stir-frys (vegetarian or with lamb or chicken), and marinades like the curried yogurt used to flavor chicken tandoori.

1 T. ginger
1 T. coriander
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 T. turmeric

Place in clean jar and store in a cool, dark place. Shake well before using.

By using these and other spices, you can give your tastebuds a world tour!

Fresh cilantro

Many people know cilantro by its other names–Chinese parsley or Mexican parsley–but not many people realize that cilantro is the leafy part of the coriander plant.  (Coriander is the seed.)  It’s an interesting juxtaposition; coriander’s smooth sweet/sharp character is worlds apart from the assertive, almost soapy tang of cilantro.  No question about it–cilantro/coriander is the ultimate two-in-one herb.

Try chopping up fresh cilantro and adding it to Mexican or Southwestern-style salads for some added flair…or use a sprinkling of it to perk up a bowl of chili.  Vietnamese shrimp and noodle dishes sometimes pair cilantro with mint for a powerful-yet-refreshing flavor.  North African cuisines make good use of the coriander and the cilantro–the former to marinate meats and give depth to stews (coriander is the yin to cumin’s yang) and the latter as a last-minute garnish.  However you choose to cook with cilantro, just remember two things:  a little bit goes a long way, and always add it at the last minute since heat will cause it to wilt and lose its bright character.  Remember, too, that you can keep it for a week or more in the refrigerator if you place the stems in a glass of water and refresh the water every other day.

Curiously enough, a fresh vanilla bean has no flavor.  It has to cure for six months for the vanillin–tiny fragrant crystals–to form inside and then outside of the pod.  During this process, the pod shrinks to half its former size and begins to wrinkle and turn a dark chocolate brown.  From there, it is either stored and sold as whole pods or extract.  (The latter is achieved by soaking the pods in 35% alcohol.)

Since true vanilla is very expensive, artificial extracts are often sold alongside the real thing.  What you purchase is up to your tastebuds, of course, but I wouldn’t buy the artificial variety, not when I can get the real thing.  It is also possible to use a single vanilla bean (which will probably cost at least $4 or $5) more than once–you can cut it open and use its seeds in recipes, you can put the seeds in sugar to make vanilla sugar, you can drop the empty pod into a pot of chai tea to make it taste even better, and you can let that same pod dry out and then let it sit in a bottle of sunflower oil for two weeks to make your own vanilla massage lotion.  Not bad for $4!

Turmeric Gives Indian Dal a Warm Flavor and Appearance

Although the somewhat-earthy flavor of turmeric is an acquired taste, I love it in Indian tandooris and curries and in Moroccan dishes such as harira. Since it is a very strong flavor, however, I would recommend using it in moderation at first; it could easily be overwhelming.

Thyme has been used to flavor liqueurs and cheeses for centuries, and it is still one of the main ingredients of the classic French bouquet garni.  It is often used in Creole and Cajun cuisines–the latter employs it to make jerk seasoning.  Chicken dishes often feature both thyme and rosemary.

That popularity crossed over to America, where sage became the main flavor in stuffings and pork sausages.  This strong herb complements strong English cheeses like Cheddar and Derby and is also a very good accompaniment to corn-based dishes such as cornbread and corn chowder.  Its leaves are very thick and almost furry–if you dry your own, make sure that it is completely dry before you cap it and store it.

The fragrant honey used in Spain to make the honey-nougat turrón comes from rosemary blossoms, and the leaves are widely used in Mediterranean, French, and Portguese cooking.  I can’t imagine a better pairing than rosemary and lamb.   Add a little garlic and white wine vinegar and you have an easy, delicious meal!

In addition to being the mildest form of cayenne, paprika also has the highest amount of vitamin C.  While the taste of paprika is not nearly as pronounced as those of its more-capsaicin-laden relatives, it is a critical ingredient in Hungarian goulasch, and its deep red color makes it a very easy garnish.  I like to sprinkle it on cheese bread to add color and a little taste.

The “stinking rose,” as it is also called, was consumed as a vegetable in Europe in the medieval times.  Nowadays, it used throughout the world to flavor food.  It is an indispensable ingredient in sofrito–sauteéd garlic, onion, and tomato that is used as a base sauce in many Spanish and Italian dishes–and in pesto.  Middle-Eastern hummus wouldn’t be the same without garlic, nor would the kofta meat dumplings commonly eaten throughout the Mediterranean region.  Garlic is often included in guacamole.

If you want to roast garlic to obtain a more mellow flavor, it’s simple enough:  just cut off the top of the whole head, put in on a square of aluminum wrap and drizzle it with a bit of olive oil (and sprinkle it with salt and pepper if you like).  Wrap it completely in the foil and bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes to an hour (depending on the size of the head).  The roasted cloves will easily slide out of their skins.  A fair warning, though:  roasted garlic tends to be sticky and messy!  You might want to work close to the sink.

Hot peppers are also loaded with vitamin C and vitamin A and have high amounts of iron, niacin, and vitamin K.  They’re used extensively in Cajun, Creole, Spanish, Mexican, and southeast Asian cuisines.  Since there is no mention of capsaicin in ancient Hebrew, Latin, Greek or Sanskrit, hot peppers seem to be a relative newcomer on the spice scene.  They were unknown in Europe until Columbus brought them back from the New World in 1493.

Use extreme caution when working with hot peppers–even the ubiquitous and seemingly-inoffensive jalapeño pepper can be surprisingly volatile.  (Wear gloves while handling hot peppers or wash your hands very thoroughly afterwards.  Contact-wearers, take extra precautions!)  The capsaicin is contained in the seeds and ribs of the plant, so be sure to remove those if you’re aiming for a milder pepper.