A Taste for Herbs. Sue Goetz
Place tray in the freezer overnight. Once the chive pieces are frozen, store them in a glass freezer-safe canning jar and cover tightly.
• Chive flowers are best used fresh: You can eat the whole flower head (and a very zingy bite it is) or pull the petals away from the center of the flower head.
FOOD AND FLAVORING: Chives belong to the same plant family as onions and garlic. The flavor of chives is a nice, mild mix of both. Add chives at the end of cooking time, because much of the flavor will be lost in the heat. Sprinkle fresh flower petals and cut stems on all types of salads, soups and savory entrees. Infuse stems and petals into butter and cream cheeses. The dried stems are used in seasoning blends, adding a touch of garlic, without overpowering the mix. The whole flower heads are used in oil or vinegar and will color the liquid a pale lavender-pink. (For recipes that use chives, see pages 106, 108, 112, 134, 142 and 151.)
OTHER USES: Plant chives around roses and nasturtiums to help deter aphids and other garden pests. Garlic chives attract pollinators like bees and butterflies to the garden.
COMMON NAMES: Cilantro, coriander, Chinese parsley
BOTANICAL NAME: Coriandrum sativum
VARIETIES TO LOOK FOR: ‘Santo’, ‘Calypso’, and ‘Slow Bolt’ are cultivars that produce abundant leaves and do not go to seed as quickly as common cilantro.
PARTS OF THE PLANT USED: Fresh leaves. The seeds of the dried fruit of the plant are harvested and commonly known as coriander.
IN THE GARDEN: Cilantro is an annual that changes dramatically in the garden as the temperature rises. This is a cool weather herb; in the summer heat the plant will produce fewer leaves. The stems will lengthen, get thick and begin producing ferny foliage that quickly “bolts” into flower and seed production. The seeds are quick to germinate and like to be consistently moist. I used to plant cilantro seeds in early spring under my greenhouse benches so they could be warm but also shaded, to help the cilantro produce more leaves before it bolted to flower. If you live in an area where danger of frost is late, you can plant a fall crop. Plant seeds so the timing of leaf harvest is about a month from sowing.
HARVEST NOTES:
• Leaves are harvested fresh when young and tender. The older leaves become bitter, when the plant is starting to bolt.
• Gather and cut the stems in a small bunch, then gently tear or snip the leaves from the stems.
• The leaves do not hold flavor well in the drying process. Freeze leaves in ice cubes for later use to melt the flavor into soups and sauces.
• The seeds need to be harvested when fully ripe and dry or the unripe seed will have an unpleasant taste and odor.
FOOD AND FLAVORING: The leaves are pungent and aromatic, described often as lemony, parsley-like. This is a real love it/hate it herb. Some people love the aroma and flavor and some find it repulsive. It is a savory herb that has flavor power in heavy dishes and one of the popular ingredients in salsa recipes. Use this herb lightly so it does not overpower dishes, but daintily lends its distinct flavor. Typically, when a recipe calls for coriander (and not cilantro) it is referring to the use of the seed. The seeds are used as one of the main ingredients in curry powder. (For recipes that use cilantro and coriander, see pages 106 and 148.)
OTHER USES: Coriander seed is a botanical addition for flavor in gin making. A fascinating component of coriander seed is that in testing it is made up of over 70% linalool, which is a naturally occurring terpene alcohol. That heavy amount of linalool makes the fresh aromatic oil of coriander, popular for use commercially as a base in perfumes and lotions.
COMMON NAME: Dill
BOTANICAL NAME: Anethum graveolens
VARIETIES TO LOOK FOR: ‘Mammoth’ is a plume of soft foliage that grows up to 3 feet tall. ‘Bouquet’ is a compact-growing dill. ‘Dukat’ is popular because of its strong flavor that holds well in cooking. ‘Fernleaf’ is a compact-growing plant that works great in potted herb gardens.
PARTS OF THE PLANT USED: Leaves and seeds
IN THE GARDEN: Dill is an annual that is easy to grow from seed. It prefers full sun and well-draining soil. Plant dill in early spring, about the same time you would plant cool crops like lettuce. Sow a second or third time every couple of weeks to have a continual harvest of leaves. Allow some of the plant to flower to be harvested for the seed. You can also plant a later crop to have fresh dillweed sprigs for pickle making.
HARVEST NOTES:
• Harvest dill weed (the leaves) through the summer for fresh use. The seeds are ready to harvest just as they are turning brown.
• To harvest seeds, cut the flower/seed heads from the plants, keeping some length of stems. Tie the bundle together with string or a rubber band and cover it with a brown paper bag.
• Hang the bag to finish drying. As the seed dries, it will shake off the plant into the paper bag.
• Store the seeds in a glass jar.
FOOD AND FLAVORING: The ferny-textured leaf of dill is commonly referred to in recipes as dill weed. It has the familiar flavor of dill pickles but more subtle than dill seed. Add dill leaves near the end of cooking time to delicate-flavored dishes with chicken or fish. Add to baby salad greens, sprinkle on fresh sliced cucumbers, season cream cheese, butter and egg dishes. The aromatic seeds attached to the umbel flowers have a stronger flavor. This is the part of the plant used in pickles. The strong flavor retains well in vinegars and as a flavorful addition to baked breads. (For recipes that use dill, see pages 104, 108, 140 and 152.)
OTHER USES: Dill is a prized pollinator garden plant; it is a host plant for swallowtail butterflies. Dill tea – a tea made with the seeds will help ease stomach gas and upset: Infuse one teaspoon of seeds into 1 cup of hot water and allow to steep for about 15 minutes. Dill has also been studied as an immune system booster and found to have anti-inflammatory qualities.
COMMON