Looking for delicious, quick, easy recipes? Look no further. Click here.
Posts with tag fresh herbs

A Five-Minute Creamy Dressing for Spring Veggies

4 dressings

In the world of leafy green salads and crisp vegetables, few things are as satisfying -- and simple -- as the one-two punch of oil and vinegar. But once you start adding extra flavors and emulsifying, it's just as easy to make a creamy dressing that's a perfect accompaniment to the fresh flavors of spring. It's even easier, in fact, because there is no tried and true ingredients ratio for the perfect dressing -- it's all a matter of preference and desire, be it for something thick and creamy, milky, or somewhere in between.

The nutty tang of crème fraîche forms the foundation of this dressing, though sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise or even tofu can be used instead. We find that mixing one part mayonnaise with two parts crème fraîche achieves a crisp and pronounced balance of flavors.

Continue reading A Five-Minute Creamy Dressing for Spring Veggies

A good trick for saving summer herbs for future use

herbs frozen into an ice cube
Last weekend, my friend Angie handed me two plastic bags that were bursting with fresh herbs from her garden. This Saturday, after lunch at my cousin Amy's, she led me outside with scissors and a bag and asked that I "please take all the basil you can carry!" I am currently awash in an embarrassment of fresh herbs.

Last night, as I was rearranging the fridge to make room for the remains of the chicken I had roasted for dinner, I came across these multiple bags of herbs, seemingly undiminished despite active use and thought to myself that I better find a way to preserve them soon or I was going to have to add them to the composter (I now have a indoor composter in my living room, more on that later).

As I was reading through my feed reader this afternoon, I came across this tip on The Kitchn and realized that it was the answer to my herbal abundance. Emma recommends chopping herbs and then freezing them into cubes in an ice tray. Each well gets half filled chopped herbs and then is topped off with stock, wine or water. When they're frozen, she pops them out of the tray and stores them in a plastic zippered bag for future use. Much like how people are always recommending freezing stock into ice cube trays, only with more of verdant kick. I'm looking forward to saving some of the thyme Angie gave me for the fall.

Mother's Day brunch menu ideas: Corned beef hash

Corned beef hash and eggs with toast.
I know, I know, this a classic brunch item, nothing too creative there. But it's sooo good, it's worth a second look. There are lots of things you can do to jazz it up, too. For instance, use blue potatoes or even use sweet potatoes. Either would be a great choice. Also, try this recipe from Food Network. It looks like it'll turn out nicely, with some great flavors. Play around with fresh herbs, as they are great for adding color and big new flavors.

I know there are eggs in the picture, but you should regard those as optional, especially if you're going to have quiche!

Cookthink brainstorms ways to use fresh herbs

image of clusters of fresh herbs
On the whole, I really enjoy urban, apartment living. It's convenient to everything, I don't have to shovel snow in the winter and there's always someone downstairs to receive packages for me while I'm at work. One of the few downsides is that there's no place to have an herb garden.

I've tried growing a few things on my window sill, but my rosemary always gets spindly and the mint shrivels and dies. So when I want fresh herbs, I have to buy them. There's a produce market around the corner from me that sells nearly everything you could want, for around a $1 a bag. However, even when I'm diligent, I never use it all up before it goes bad. The bloggers over at Cookthink are well aware of this dilemma and have posted a piece entitled 10 ways to use up leftover fresh herbs. It has some great tips and suggestions. I think I'll go for #2 this weekend and make an omelette aux fines herbes.

David Lebovitz offers easy ways to improve your cooking

David Lebovitz's macro picture of thymeI've been cooking, in one way or another, for more than 20 years. That includes my early childhood experiments like when I would try to make hashbrowns on the days when I stayed home from school. Although tasty, they were always grey, a bit mushy and very visually unappealing. In recent years I've come to be something of an adequate cook, but I know that there is always more for me to learn.

It's in that spirit of continuing food education, that I particular love the post that David Lebovitz put up the day after Thanksgiving called "Ten Easy Ways to Improve Your Cooking." His tips are really helpful and include such easy changes as using lots of shallots, making a point of incorporating fresh herbs and rethinking the oils and vinegars you cook with. Another reason to go and check out this post is for the pictures as they are just lovely (that picture of thyme up above is borrowed from his post).

There must be something in the air, because while I didn't see this post until yesterday, about a week ago on a whim I bought a large bag of shallots at my local produce market. It's been lovely having them on hand as an alternative to my normal garlic and onions. They give food a sweeter, gentler flavor that I'm loving. They aren't wimpy though and still pack a punch that stands up to many of the stronger tastes out there.

Happy National More Herbs, Less Salt Day!

saltWell, this is the oddest food holiday I've found, next to Dress Up Like An Ear Of Corn Day*, but let's see what we can do with it.

It's always good to use less salt, especially if you have high blood pressure (and a lot more people in the country have high blood pressure than anyone realizes - what used to be "borderline" is now too high). I haven't added salt to food in over 10 years (no joke), usually substituting pepper if I need a little seasoning. I also like those no-salt seasoning like Mrs. Dash. Go check out that aisle in your supermarket. I think you'll be surprised at what you'll find there.

Here's some info on using less salt. Here's a recipe for Linguine with Fresh Herbs you might want to try, and how about some tips on drying fresh herbs?

* This doesn't actually exist.

Tomato, Green Bean, and Baby Potato Salad with Garden Herbs


I needed a salad to serve with the Haddock Beurre Blanc I made for guests. This salad has all the veggies I was planning to serve as side dishes combined ,so that it has some substance to it, but still remains light and summery. (Light and summery are two of my favorite food words at this time of year.)

I had a cup left of the marble-sized baby red potatoes I mentioned awhile ago and then picked up some sweet and crisp green beans, and super ripe summer tomatoes. I then plucked some of the first of my herbs in my container garden outside my door and I knew a feast was in the offing. I served this salad with the incredibly lush Haddock Beurre Blanc for a great meal that my guests enjoyed.
Recipe and photos after the jump.

Continue reading Tomato, Green Bean, and Baby Potato Salad with Garden Herbs

Food Porn: Watermelon Feta Salad with Fresh Herbs


So far this year we've had some some pretty horrendous weather where I live and I was beginning to wonder if Spring was ever going to arrive. Now that Memorial Day has passed I'm finally daring to hope that the warm temps are here to stay, and summer might truly be just around the corner.

As if on cue, Joe at Culinary in the Desert posted this Watermelon Salad and all memory of snow and storms vanished. It's not difficult visualizing a picnic in the park when looking at fresh watermelon, watercress, sliced red onions, fresh herbs, and creamy smooth feta cheese. Thanks Joe, just what the doctor ordered!

Sarah will do pesto week, even though she used to hate it

ingredients for pestoOkay, perhaps it won't quite last the duration of a week, but I have an enormous plastic container full of pesto now, and will be sharing all kinds of fun pesto stuff this week. Or at least, I have to try to, because my poor tastebuds will die of boredom if I eat plain pasta tossed with pesto every day. I suppose I could freeze the stuff, but you know what they say about freezing foods. The foods end up really, really cold.

First things, first, how on earth did someone who used to HATE the smell and taste of pesto end up with an entire container full of the herbaceous green paste? Really, no joke, I hated pesto. I didn't hate fresh basil, but I didn't particularly care for it. However, once fresh basil was mashed together with all the other ingredients that make up pesto, it repulsed me. It repulsed me to the point of childish antics. I would literally sniff it, crinkle my nose, then grab my throat as if I were choking on a chicken bone.

But sometime last year, I made pesto myself (recipe tomorrow). Something happens when you do a little research, learn about the history and the significance of something, and make it yourself. You forget about your silly stupid juvenile taste preferences and learn to appreciate the food. Now, though I don't get all tingly when I smell and eat pesto, I have learned to appreciate it. Of course, I absolutely refuse to believe that my tastebuds will ever appreciate cilantro.

That, my friends, is the lesson of the day. If you hate something, it might be a good lesson in love to make it yourself. And for a little note on authentic pesto, check out Sarah Gilbert's post a few months ago.

Tip of the Day

Drying fruit is easy, mostly hands-off and yields a sweet and healthy snack.

Slashfood Features


Seasons
Spring (74)
Summer (300)
Fall (215)
Winter (73)
What is it?
Beef (634)
Bread (81)
Candy (518)
Cheese (582)
Chocolate (836)
Comfort Food (802)
Condiments (263)
Dairy (567)
Eggs (316)
Fish (377)
Fruit (1059)
Grains (623)
Herbs (10)
Meat (358)
Nuts/seeds (313)
Organic (5)
Pork (397)
Poultry (455)
Rice (56)
Sandwiches (33)
Shellfish (191)
Soups/Salads (120)
Spices (322)
Sugar (434)
Tea (7)
Vegetables (1401)
Holidays
Christmas (132)
Easter (37)
Halloween (99)
Hanukkah (56)
Memorial Day (15)
Mother's Day (37)
New Year's (41)
Passover (11)
St. Patrick's Day (14)
Thanksgiving (134)
Valentine's Day (50)
News
Bakeries (151)
Books (810)
Business (1277)
Celebrities (238)
Coffee shops (194)
Edible Gifts (39)
Farming (467)
Fast Food (370)
Food News (558)
Health & Medical (872)
How To (1424)
Lists (834)
Magazines (508)
New Products (1588)
Newspapers (1627)
On the Blogs (2520)
Raves & Reviews (1189)
Recipes (2458)
Restaurants (1467)
Science (741)
Site Announcements (186)
Stores & Shopping (1023)
Television/Film (725)
Trends (1436)
Vegetarian/Vegan (95)
Features
Cheese Course (72)
Diary of a Distiller (30)
Dining at Our Desks (8)
Festive Family Feasts (9)
Guilty Pleasures (83)
Quizzes (22)
Raising the Bar (23)
Taste Test (18)
The Hungry Bride (34)
The Skinny Chef (64)
Tinfoil Swan (24)
Tip of the Day (369)
Wild Edibles (22)
X Marks the Spot (1)
Back to School (14)
Cocktail Hour (130)
Cocktail Revolution (0)
Cookbook Spotlight (568)
Cooking Without a Recipe (5)
Culinary Kids (235)
Did you know? (451)
Fall Flavors (136)
Feast Your Eyes (401)
Food Gadgets (485)
Food Oddities (1035)
Food Porn (892)
Food Quest (177)
Foodie Flicks (65)
Frugal Food (95)
Garden Party (28)
Hacking Food (109)
Happy Hour (212)
Head to Tail (44)
In Sixty Seconds (728)
Ingredient Spotlight (60)
Leftovers (53)
Light Food (189)
Liquor Cabinet (186)
Our Bloggers (34)
Pop Food (146)
Pumpkin Day (12)
Real Kitchens (85)
Retro cookery (154)
Slashfood Ate (206)
Slashfood Talks (4)
Slow cooking (55)
Super Size Me (121)
The History of... (72)
What's On Tap? (42)
Wine of the Week (52)
YumSugar (53)
What Time Is It?
Breakfast (757)
Dessert (1364)
Dinner (1389)
Hors D'oeuvres (318)
Lunch (1041)
Snacks (1128)
Where Is It?
America (2661)
Europe (515)
France (178)
Italy (174)
Asia (550)
Australia (158)
British Isles (875)
Caribbean (38)
Central Africa (8)
East Coast (582)
Eastern Europe (45)
Islands (58)
Mediterranean (131)
Mexico (40)
Middle East (63)
Midwest Cities (230)
Midwest Rural (74)
New Zealand (63)
North America (94)
Northern Africa (21)
Northern Europe (66)
South Africa (36)
South America (101)
South Asia (125)
Southern States (302)
West Coast (936)
What are you doing?
Baking (831)
Barbecuing (112)
Boiling (130)
Braising (21)
Broiling (36)
Frying (190)
Grilling (212)
Microwaving (40)
Roasting (105)
Slow cooking (34)
Steaming (45)
Choices
Fairtrade (16)
Artisan Foods (161)
Local Eating (148)
Additives
Artificial Sugars (42)
High-fructose corn syrup (21)
MSG (7)
Trans Fats (58)
Libations
Hot chocolate (27)
Soda (174)
Spirits (424)
Beer (531)
Brandy (13)
Champagne (118)
Cocktails (471)
Coffee (417)
Gin (115)
Juice (126)
Liqueurs (81)
Non-alcoholic (27)
Rum (103)
Teas (185)
Tequila (23)
Vodka (164)
Water (88)
Whisky (119)
Wine (759)
Affairs
Celebrations (107)
Closings (14)
Festivals (87)
Holidays (285)
Openings (50)
Parties (246)
Tastings (164)

RESOURCES

Powered by Blogsmith

Featured Stories

 

Most Commented On (60 days)

Updates From

Sites We Love

Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in:

Also on AOL