Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.
Ah, who remembers this line from the old Simon and Garfunkel hit “Scarborough Fair?”

Well, the herbs mentioned in this song not only have a nice flow to them, they
can also help enhance the flavor of some of your favorite dishes, and bolster
your health.

So, if you’re a fan of your local farmers’ markets and/or farm stands, make sure that
when loading up on fruits and vegetables, also stock up on fresh herbs.

And when you bring those herbs home, you can use them in a variety of ways- like…

a) Flavored Salt-
Dress up a salad, a slice of pizza or corn on the cob with basil salt.
To make:
In a food processor, pulse 1 cup of fresh basil leaves with 1 cup coarse salt until
finely ground. Spread on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 200*F, stirring
often, until dry, 30 mins. Cool and store in a jar.

Need a recipe for grilled corn on the cob?
Soak unshucked ears in cold water for 15 mins. then grill over indirect heat
for 20 mins. The husk and silk hold in moisture, allowing kernels to steam,
so they come out tender and juicy.

b) Flavored Butter-
Freezing herbs will leave herbs tasting flat and bland, to keep them flavorful,
fold them into butter first. Doing this locks their savory oils in fat, so they stay
fresh for months.
To make:
Gently fold 1/2 cup of fresh chopped herbs into a stick of softened butter.
Roll into a log and wrap in plastic. Place in the freezer and leave it up to
3 months. Take out a loaf, let it soften and serve on baked fish, pasta, veggies
and gluten-free bread.

c) Seasoning Blends-
If you purchase a lot of rosemary, oregano, sage and thyme, you can dry them
to use in place of store-bought herbs.
To make:
Tie bundles of 4 to 6 clean herb sprigs with twine, then use clothespins to
hang bundles upside down in a dim area for 1 week. When dry, pluck leaves;
store in an airtight jar, it’ll keep for 1 year.

d) Flavorful Dressings-
Tender herbs like mint, basil and cilantro are prone to wilting and mold, but when
blended with oil and acid, they can last for weeks in the refrigerator.
To make:
In a blender, blend 1/2 cup of fresh herbs, 2 Tbs. of lemon juice, 2 tsps. of honey,
1 tsp. of Dijon mustard and 1/2 cup of olive oil, blend until smooth.
Use dressing on salad, steamed veggies or marinade for steak or chicken.

e) Herbed Cubes-
To use up that extra rosemary, freeze it in oil.
To make:
Tear enough rosemary to equal 1/2 cup of leaves; divide evenly in ice cube molds
and fill with olive oil. Leave in the ice cube trays or transfer the rosemary cubes to
a plastic bag. Store in freezer until ready to use. Add a cube to a hot skillet to melt
or toss a cube into a pot of spaghetti sauce.

f) Almost Like-
Pesto, but it’s not, it’s Chimichurri. Similar to pesto but tangier and it hails from
Argentina and Uruguay.
To make:
In a food processor, pulse 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro, parsley and oregano
with 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, 1 clove of garlic and 1/4 tsp. of red
pepper flakes until coarsely chopped; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve chimichurri with grilled meats or spread on a sandwich or tuna sub.

Sources:
* My Herbs Magazine
* The Herbs Quarterly, Magazine
* University of California, at Riverside
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One last tip: Make sure to visit our new store for more great recipes, to access the
store, just click buy recipes at the top of this blog.