 | 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
2002-07-01 15:42:00
Of oregano and herbs
Question: When the oregano in my herb garden blooms, it has small pompom-like blossoms on it. Can I use them in cooking?
Answer: These are gifts. The flowers often have a similar but more delicate flavor than that of the herb itself. There are a couple ways you can use the flowers. One is to dry them. One of my favorite cooks in Italy - a farm woman in Tuscany - insists that the best basil flavor comes from drying only the flowers. Fresh herb flowers are lovely in salads. Think about the color of the blooms because often they are a pale violet or white, which is particularly pretty with certain things like red and yellow peppers and orange carrots. Sage, thyme, and rosemary blooms are great with things like apples, pears, grapes, and anything in the soft fruit family like nectarines, peaches, and plums. Try different combinations of these fruits with the blooms in your garden and see which combinations you like. Another thing is to try them in desserts. For instance, the little purple blooms on mint are probably the easiest to work with because mint tastes great with sweet things. If you make sorbets, fold some of the herb flowers into the sorbet. With rich creamy desserts, the flowers are wonderful sprinkled on top.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.
