 | Lynn Rosetto Kasper is host of The Splendid Table. . . a nationally syndicated public radio call-in program devoted to the bountiful world of food, broadcast on KMUW FM89, listener supported public radio serving Wichita and South Central Kansas. Tune in every Saturday from 3 – 4 pm and join Lynne and her guests! For more information about FM89 membership, programming and special events, visit us online at www.kmuw.org |
Food & Drink
2002-04-01 12:06:00
The joy and use of herbs
Question: I'm interested in starting an herb garden. What should I plant?
Answer: Start with the basics such as basil, rosemary, thyme, Italian parsley, sage, and tarragon. Later you might consider adding mint, lemon basil, Thai basil, golden thyme, and lemon thyme. Experiment, try recipes that call for herbs that are new to you and see which ones you like. Purchase plants at your local nursery or start them from seeds.Question: How do you freeze fresh herbs? Answer: Freezing summer's bounty of fresh herbs is very simple. Here's how to do it: Wash the herbs (still on their branches), dry them thoroughly, strip the leaves from the branches, and put them in plastic zipper-type freezer bags. Press out all the air, seal and freeze. With herbs such as rosemary and thyme you don't even need to strip the leaves from the branches.To use the herbs, just break off what you need, no need to defrost. Although most herbs will turn dark green, they'll keep their fresh flavor. Since most of the time the herbs will be used in cooked dishes, color isn't a big issue.Question: One of the herbs in my garden is sage. It produces beautiful purple blossoms with an incredible, slightly sweet smell. I'd love to have a good recipe to put them in, maybe something with poultry. Answer: Since herb flowers are so delicate you don't want to do a lot to them because they are fragile in aroma and taste. I would flavor chicken or a robust-tasting fish with the sage leaves then I would sprinkle the sage flowers on the cooked food, encouraging people to eat the flowers with the sage flavored dish for another dimension of the sage taste. You might also fry them. Make a batter of flour, water, salt and pepper and dip the flowers in the batter. Have about 1/2 inch of oil in a shallow pan, get the oil hot, and drop in the batter-coated flowers. They'll brown quickly.
