FLAVORING WITH FRESH HERBS

City cooks who love fresh herbs eventually end up with pots of them outside their kitchen doors or on the windowsills in tubs. A kitchen herb garden means handfuls of fragrance without a trip to the store. Fresh herbs are so easy to grow that even nongardeners manage. And the flavor of seasonings created from your own just-picked herbs makes a striking difference.

It's a simple matter to plan a small space for your own herb garden and reap the benefits in recipes all year round. Some of my fresh herbs are potted on the deck by the back door or in a window box reachable from the kitchen window. Others grow in the center of the larger vegetable garden, surrounded by bean poles and tomato cages.

Herbs like poorer soil; some gardeners believe an herb's flavor is stronger the less nutrients it gets. Main requirements are good drainage and full sun, which means pots work wonderfully if set on rolling platforms. They should follow the sun around your deck or patio.

This year, I'm planting dill, tarragon, flat-leaf and curly parsley, garlic and plain chives, cilantro, sage and basil. The seeds were started indoors under grow lights. I supplement the selection with bought nursery plants, usually available by early May for a few dollars a plant.

Herbs can be harvested and enjoyed throughout the summer and fall. Snipping the herbs encourages them to grow more. They're best cut in the morning after the dew has dried, but before the sun has gotten hot.

CHEESE-HERB BREAD

This basic low-fat quick bread is redolent with tarragon and sage. Toast slices to serve with soup or salad.

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup bran flakes cereal

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/2 cup shredded low-fat sharp Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup sugar or maple syrup

1 large egg

In large bowl, combine flour, basil, tarragon, sage, marjoram, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add cereal and toss to coat.

In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, cheese, oil, sugar and egg. Combine contents of both bowls, folding until just incorporated. Spoon batter into lightly oiled and flour-dusted 2-quart loaf pan.

Bake at 400 degrees 25 minutes, then lower heat to 300 degrees and bake 15 minutes more until wood pick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Makes 1 loaf or 15 servings.

SWEET HERBAL VINAIGRETTE

Herbal vinaigrettes are not just great salad dressings; they also make good marinades for almost any food destined for the grill. The touch of honey in this recipe brings out the sweetness in the herbs.

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

In blender, process oil, water, vinegar, honey, lemon juice, oregano, tarragon, basil, salt, mustard, pepper and garlic at high speed until frothy. Adjust salt to taste. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

MINTED ORANGE AND RED ONION SALAD

The herbal fragrance of this orange salad is delightful.

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

1/4 cup fresh mint, coarsely chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large navel oranges, peeled (white pith removed) and sectioned

1 large bunch watercress, thick stems removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt, pepper

In large bowl, combine onion, vinegar, mint and salt. Toss well. Let stand 5 minutes. Add oranges, watercress and oil. Toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.

(Adapted from ``The Herbfarm Cookbook'' by Jerry Traunfeld, Scribner, 2000.)

(Mary Carroll is the author of the ``No Cholesterol (No Kidding!) Cookbook,'' Rodale Press.)

(c) 2000, Mary Carroll. Distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: Mary Carroll