Herbs Revealed
Fresh herbs can be intimidating for some people to work with. Perhaps you can't tell the difference between tarragon and cilantro? Are you looking for something to do with all that extra mint in your garden?
As the summer comes to an end, "The Early Show" featured a tutorial on herbs by chefs Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier, owners and chefs at Arrows Restaurant in Maine and Summer Winter in the Boston area. Frasier and Gaier shared what various herbs taste like, look like, and how to cook with them.
TARRAGON
Narrow, pointed, dark green leaves distinguish this perennial aromatic herb known for its distinctive licorice flavor. Tarragon is widely used in classic French cooking for a variety of dishes including chicken, fish and vegetables, as well as many sauces, the best known being béarnaise. Tarragon is available fresh in the summer and early fall and year-round in dried and powdered forms. Care should be taken when using tarragon since its assertiveness can easily dominate other flavors. Tarragon vinegar is a popular item in gourmet markets.
Tarragon is good for: Eggs, Chicken, Mayonnaise, Dessert such as berries
Tarragon Mustard Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp Shallots, peeled
1/4 cup Tarragon leaves
1/4 cup Parsley leaves
1 Tbsp Whole grain mustard
1Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup Pure olive oil
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
12 Whole black peppercorns
In a blender, combine all ingredients and puree until smooth, about 30 seconds to one minute. Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to two days.
CILANTRO
Cilantro is the leaf of the young coriander plant, Coriandrum sativum, an herb in the parsley family, similar to anise. Cilantro is traditionally used in Middle Eastern, Mexican, and Asian cooking. Cilantro's taste is a fragrant mix of parsley and citrus. Before it is used, cilantro should be crushed, either by hand or with a mortar and pestle. Cilantro is a perfect addition to Mexican dishes; add cilantro to salsas and bean dips. Mix crushed cilantro into sour cream and use it as a topping for chili, tacos, or enchiladas. Sprinkle cilantro over stir fried vegetables for color and Asian flavor. Add cilantro to sesame ginger dressing when making Chinese chicken salad.
Cilantro is good for: Shellfish, dips (esp. salsa), vinegar-based salads
Lobster in a Paper Bag with Cilantro Sauce
Serves 6
For Cilantro Sauce:
1 cup Cilantro leaves, washed and picked
1/2 cup Basil leaves, washed and picked
1/4 cup Parsley
1/2 Tbsp Fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 Shallots, peeled
8 oz Coconut milk, 1 can
2 tsp Serrano pepper, stem removed
1/2 cup Canola oil
3 Large limes, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.
Set aside to rest.
For Herb Butter:
2 sticks Unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup Mixed fresh herbs, chopped (i.e. chives, parsley, tarragon)
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Freshly ground pepper
In a food processor, pulse softened butter until smooth.
Add herbs and blend until ingredients are fully incorporated, scarping the sides with a spatula to help combine.
Add lemon juice salt and pepper.
Divide into sixths and place each portion on top of the squash and lobster before baking.
For Lobster in Paper Bag:
6 sheets Parchment paper, 13" by 18"
1 Large zucchini squash
1 Large yellow squash
6 Lobsters, cooked and shelled, approx 1 1/4 lb each
6 Tbsp Unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare the paper for the each portion. For each lobster, fold one sheet of parchment in half, shorter end to shorter end. Using as much of the paper as possible, start at the upper folded edge and cut out a heart shape (as if making a valentine). Discard the remainder of the paper. Continue for the remaining five sheets and place on a warmed cookie sheet.
Julienne the green and yellow squash with a mandolin or cut lengthwise into thin strips or ribbons until you get down to the seeds. Divide the squash into sixths and place each portion on the right side of the parchment paper.
Add the meat of each lobster on top of the squash. Top each with 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
Create the paper bag by laying the left side of the heart over the right side. Starting at the top of the heart, fold down the edge section by section, crimping down the edge as you go. Continue folding and crimping until you reach the bottom and fully sealed. At the bottom, twist the pointy end of the heart and tuck under.
Bake in the oven for eight minutes. To serve, cut a hole in the center of the bag about six inches across leaving part of the cut intact, creating a flap. Roll back the flap and present the bag at the table. Serve the cilantro sauce and the herb butter on the side, or drizzle on the lobster before serving.
MINT
The leaf, fresh or dried, is the culinary source of mint. Fresh mint is usually preferred over dried mint when storage of the mint is not a problem. The leaves have a pleasant warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste. Mint leaves are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, and ice creams. In Middle Eastern cuisine, mint is used on lamb dishes. In British cuisine, mint sauce is popular with lamb. Mint essential oil and menthol are extensively used as flavorings in breath fresheners, drinks, antiseptic mouth rinses, toothpaste, chewing gum, desserts, and candies; see mint (candy), and
Mint is good for: Pasta, Steak, Lamb, Fruit Salad
Mint Fizz Mojito
1/4 cup Sugar
2 Limes, cut into wedges
1 cup Fresh mint leaves
1 1/2 cups White rum
2 cups Soda water
In a pitcher, muddle the sugar, limes and mint all together. Fill the pitcher with ice, add the white rum and stir vigorously. Add in the two cups of soda water before giving the mixture one final stir. Pour into serving glasses and garnish with a spring of mint and a wedge of lime.
For more herbs and recipes, go to Page 2.
LEMON THYME
This herb is a little less common, but is fantastic if you can find it. Lemon thyme looks like English thyme (the more familiar form in your grocery aisle) and grows like English Thyme but that is where the similarity stops. Lemon thyme definitely smells like lemon and tastes like lemon. It can be used in any recipe calling for lemon juice, lemon zest or lemon flavoring. It grows like a weed so there is always more lemon waiting in the garden. Lemon thyme added to marinade is great with fish or chicken. Lemon Thyme's glossy green foliage can be sheared to form one of the knots in a traditional knot garden
Lemon thyme is good for: Roasted fish, spruces up lemonade and ice cream
Lemon Thyme Lemon Ice Cream
8 Egg yolks
1 cup Sugar
2 cups Cream
2 cups Milk
1 cup Lemon thyme
1 pinch Salt
1 cup Sugar
Zest of 4 lemons
Juice of 6 limes
In a bowl. Mix the egg yolks and sugar together until they have doubled inside. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the cream, milk and lemon thyme over low heat and slowly raise the temperature (this will help extract the lemon thyme flavor). Remove the lemon thyme stems from the mixture.
Bring milk and cream mixture to a boil and add it to the egg and sugar in the bowl. Mix well so it does not scramble the egg yolks. Let sit for about an hour.
To make the lemon simple syrup, In a small saucepan, heat the sugar until it turns a light brown (do not let it caramelize). Add the lemon zest and juice and reduce down to a syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.
Strain out ice cream mixture and add into an ice cream machine. Once finished, layer the ice cream into a container, alternating layers of ice cream with layers of the simple syrup. Freeze until preferred consistency.