DISCOVERING CULINARY HERBS

Common kitchen herbs not only add great flavor and zest to food but they also have a variety of medicinal and therapeutic uses that you have probably never heard of, and like all herbal remedies are best consumed in their natural state or steeped into a tea. Simply put those leafy herbs growing in your garden, hopefully, should simply be viewed as dark green leafy vegetables with abundant levels of vitamins and minerals commonly found in said dark green leafy vegetables. In fact herbs often contain higher concentrations of certain vitamins , minerals and polyphenols than their vegetable counterparts, for example Parsley which has higher levels of iron and vitamin C than Spinach.

It isn’t just parsley that brings a host of benefit to our lunch and dinner plate many other common culinary herbs offer a host of therapeutic values. Rosemary, a member of the mint family, is a mild analgesic and has been used throughout history to help with headaches, epilepsy and poor circulation? Sage is a proven antiseptic, great for sore gums and gingivitis, and it is also estrogenic, perfect for pre-menapausal and menapausal women , anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial, simply brew it into a tea or use as a gargle to soothe a sore throat. The scent of lavender is extraordinarily relaxing and it is no coincidence that this herb has the ability to calm anxiety and nervous tension. Cilantro is a stimulant and potent carminative ( dill and fennel also share this quality), meaning it helps our bodies rid itself of excess gas and bloat in our systems, no surprise here since Latin foods which rely heavily on beans also use lots of cilantro.

Peppermint is not only one of nature’s great stomach soothers, and ideal for quelling nausea, its stimulant properties have been known to counteract depression. Basil is anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and considered a potent anti-oxidant. Thyme is considered to be a great anti-fungal and its ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) score places it as having one of the most powerful anti-ixidant properties out there. Rosemary is yet another herb that acts as an anti-allergen, anti-fungal and anti-septic proving yet again the potent curative properties in these common culinary herbs.

As far as vitamins and minerals go each and every herb has significant levels of Vitamins A, B and C but even more important are the mineral compounds abundant in herbs. Concentrations vary from one herb to the next but they all contain some level of calcium, iron, magnesium, maganese, potassium and zinc. Since very few of us can claim to actually consume the 9 fistful size servings of fresh fruits and vegetables we should be eating everyday adding copious amounts of herbs into your everyday recipes will have a huge impact on your diet and drastically increase your consumption of these compounds so crucial to preventing the development of chronic degenerative diseases as well as infections and viruses.

 So now that we know how crucial herbs are to the human diet how can you use these herbs effectively to increase both the flavor and nutrients of the foods you eat. First off I want to stress how easy it is to grow your own herbs, in fact many herbs act as perrenials on Cape Cod and come back year after year, think Mint, Thyme, Rosemary and Sage just to name a few. Plant these herbs in a sunny protected area and you will be clipping fresh herbs out of your garden for probably 9 months out of the year. So to ensure you cook using lots of herbs be sure to plant them this summer, consider patio pots as well that you can simply move indoors for the winter. There are countless reasons why planting an herb garden is a must and not a single reason not to. The more you plant, the more you’ll use and your cooking this summer will be tastier and healthier than ever.

When we think of pesto we think of the Basil, Pine and Parmesan Classic but Pestos can be so much more. In fact you can create you very own pestos by blending whatever herbs and nuts or seeds you may have on hand. Remember to balance your flavors and textures by keeping similar proportions as those above and using good quality oils and water to achieve the perfect consistency.

This chart is merely a starting point and if you have sage or thyme in your garden by all means try tossing some in but be sure to balance with some bulk greens like spinach or parsley or the flavor may be too overpowering, same goes for when you are using rosemary. Actually adding parsley to any pesto will help ensure it has a vibrant green color. Also consider if adding some balsamic, the flavor may be great but unless you use the white variety it will deeply darken your pesto. Entries from the first three columns are key but you can or can not add items from columns 4 and 5, but all pestos should be seasoned with sea salt and pepper for enhanced flavor.

Some tricks to storing pesto: If refrigerating your pesto for a few days be sure to top with a layer of olive oil which helps to keep the pesto from browning. Pestos freeze beautifully and a great way to create perfect potions is to freeze pesto in an ice cube tray. As soon as it is frozen place pesto cubes in a ziploc bag and you will always have some on hand to toss into soups, stews or whatever you might be making that would benefit from an herbal pick me up.

OMEGA 3 POWERHOUSE PESTO

½ cup Walnuts

¼ cup Flax Seeds

½ cup Fresh Flat leaf Parsley

¼ cup Fresh Basil or Cilantro

¼ cup Roasted Garlic Oil**

1. Blend in food processor until it is almost a paste like consistency

SALSA VERDE

¼ cup Fresh Basil

 ¼ Cup Fresh Cilantro

 ¼ Cup Fresh Parsley

 ¼ Cup Mayonnaise (Canola is the best choice)

 ¼ Cup White Vinegar or Lemon Zest and Juice

 5 Cloves of Garlic

 Place ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until smooth

This is a great sauce for fish and chicken and works with cold or hot foods equally well. You can thin it with more lemon juice to make it a bit more like a dressing.

 Both these recipes use concentrated forms of herbs to provide a powerful flavor punch, but herbs can also be used in more delicate ways and in a form more reminiscent of how they grow naturally. Herbs can be a great addition to any salad, leafy or not and this allows them to move from a supporting role to a more center stage one. We often think of an Insalata Caprese as a great way to use our Basil but there are many other salads that benefit from fresh herbs and in fact you can make up your own like I have done in this one.

ASIAN HERB AND VEGETABLE SALAD

1 Mango cut into thin slices

1 cucumber Julienned

1-2 carrots julienned

½ cup fresh herb threads, Basil, Cilantro and Mint are my favorite here

1 tbs minced fresh ginger

2 tbs tamari

1 tbs olive oil

 1 tbs vinegar or citrus juice (lemon or lime)

1. toss the ingredients together and let sit for 30 mins before serving so flavors can meld

2. can be made several hours ahead but strain excess liquid before serving

Today Cape Codders can celebrate those dark green leafy treats that not only flavor our food but enhance the nutrient quality as well.  The Optimal Kitchen is a supporter  of this endeavor and will be hosting a workshop on Cooking with herbs at 2:30pm.  So join us a Cedar Spring Herb Farm in Harwich for a day full of fun-filled herbal activities.  Later I will post my curriculum full of delicious tips on how to use fresh herbs in your everyday cooking.

The new website is almost done.  Please check out the services tab and all that the Optimal Kitchen is offering this spring.  Beach season is just a few short months away so why not take some time now to start making some healthy changes to your lifestyle.

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