Yearly Archives: 2017
Roasted Lemon Balm Chicken
- Handful of fresh lemon balm leaves, stems removed
- 1/4 cup or so of fresh sage leaves
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 large roasting chicken
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 400°. Trim herb leaves from stems; wash and pat dry. Set sprigs aside. Chop two-thirds of the leaves, and combine with the butter, salt, and pepper. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Loosen the skin in several places and insert the herb butter underneath. Rub chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Insert the remaining herb sprigs into the cavity of the chicken. Place breast-side-down in a roasting pan. Bake 30 minutes, then turn chicken over. Bake about 20 minutes longer. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Found at: Bay Witch Musings
Lemon Balm Pesto
You will need:
- 2 cups fresh lemon balm
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 or 4 cloves garlic
Blend all ingredients together in a food processor until chunky, but not too well blended. Use to baste broiled or grilled fish or chicken, or serve as traditional pesto over pasta. Makes about 2 cups.
Found at: Bay Witch Musings
Lemon Balm Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- 3 tbls. lightly flavored olive oil
- 1 tsp. finely shredded fresh lemon balm leaves
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1/16 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tbls. rice wine vinegar
Combine all ingredients just before using, for the freshest taste and brightest color. Use as a salad dressing with baby lettuces and touch of grated, aged Jack cheese, or toss with fresh steamed veggies (it’s delicious with asparagus!).
Found at: Bay Witch Musings
Lemony Zucchini With Farro
- 350 g/12.3 oz farro, you can also use brown rice
- 400 g/14.1 oz zucchini, diced
- 1 large lemon
- 4-5 tblsp chopped pistachio nuts
- A small bunch of lemon balm, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- Salt
- Olive oil
Boil the farro in abundant salted water until soft, it usually takes 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile you first either grate the zest of the lemon or you use a lemon zester and put it in a pan with the garlic and some olive oil.
Braise for a minute before adding the diced zucchini and go on braising until the zucchini is sift and golden. Add the pistachio nuts and the farro and then drizzle a little of lemon juice over it. Add the Lemon balm and stir. Serve!
Makes 4 servings.
Found at: Lucullian
Lemon Balm-Apple Sorbet
- 2 large apples, chopped
- 1 cup lemon balm leaves
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup honey
- Juice of 2 lemons
Puree apples and lemon balm in a blender or food processor. Transfer puree to a sauce pan. Add water and honey. Simmer over low heat until thick and bubbly. Strain. Add lemon juice, stir briskly, and cool. Place mixture in an ice cream maker and freeze. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, freeze, then blend the mixture just before serving. Garnish with fresh lemon balm sprigs, and serve with scones or tea biscuits.
FREAKING DELISH!!!
Found at: Bay Witch Musings
Savory Fenugreek and Coriander Pancakes
Thin, soft Indian flat breads with a savory fenugreek and coriander flavor. These pancakes feature fresh fenugreek leaves — also known as “methi” — an annual herb that I was lucky enough to get my hands on. It is commonly used in Indian cooking and that includes the seed and ground powder from the seed. Slightly sweet, with a hint of bitterness, it is well worth using the fresh herb, but if you can’t find it — and this is sometimes a challenge — substitute about 3/4 cup dried fenugreek instead.
Most Asian and Indian grocers carry the dried leaves, seeds and powder, and often the fresh leaves. These grocers will also carry chickpea flour and chapati (or “atta”) flour, but for 1/2 cup of chapati flour you may substitute 1/3 cup sifted whole wheat flour and combine with enough pastry flour to make 1/2 cup.
Masala paste:
- 4 to 6 green chilies (or fewer if preferred), seeded and chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1-inch fresh ginger, finely sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Pancake batter:
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup chapati (atta) flour*
- 1/3 cup chickpea (besan) flour
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon asafetida
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 2/3 cup whole fat yogurt
- 1 1/2 cups warm water, or as needed
- 1 2/3 cup fresh fenugreek leaves (methi), roughly chopped*
- 3 tablespoons ghee or sesame oil for frying, or as needed
Instructions:
*Substitutions: Substitute 1/2 cup chapati flour with 2 parts sifted whole wheat flour and 1 part pastry flour. Substitute fresh fenugreek leaves with 3/4 cup dried fenugreek leaves.
For the paste, combine the chilies, garlic, ginger, salt and 1 teaspoon of water in a small blender to blend into a paste. Alternately, use a mortar and pestle.
Whisk together the flours, cumin seeds, ground coriander, turmeric, paprika, asafetida, salt and sugar in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in the yogurt, 1 cup of the water to start with, and the fenugreek leaves. Stir well to combine, adding more water until the batter is pourable but fairly thick.
Line a plate with a large piece of foil.
Heat a few teaspoons of ghee or oil in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. When hot, ladle about 1/2 cup of the batter into the hot pan and spread out in a circular fashion with the back of the ladle into a thin 7- or 8-inch round. Cover and let cook for a minute. With a spatula, gently flip the pancake and cook for another few minutes, until the bread is golden brown. Transfer the pancake to the plate, fold the foil over to cover, and repeat the process until all of the pancakes are cooked.
Enjoy warm or reheat them in a 175° oven. They are best when served the same day that they are made.
Makes about 10 pancakes
Recipe by Lisa Turner
Pickled Nasturtium Seeds
Use green nasturtium seeds, and in picking retain a short length of stem on each. Lay the seeds in cold salted water for two days (two tablespoons salt to one quart water), then place them in cold water for another day. Drain well and place the seeds in a glass jar, cover with vinegar heated to the boiling point, and close the jar tightly. In a few days the seeds will be ready to use. They are an excellent substitute for capers.
From: Herbal Gardens
Nasturtium Lemon Butter
This lovely butter has a mild lemon/pepper flavor and a colorful appearance. It is wonderful on fish, chicken and vegetables. This is also great on those small party breads, pumpernickel especially.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1-2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (according to taste)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped nasturtium blossoms
Mix all of the ingredients well until smooth and well blended. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve. Makes 3/4 cup flavored butter.
From: Herbal Gardens
Nasturtium Vinegar
Nasturtiums have a wonderful peppery flavor and add zest to any recipe.
- 1 cup nasturtium leaves, flowers, and buds
- 1 pint champagne or white wine vinegar
Place the ingredients in a clean clear glass jar or bottle. Tightly seal. Let sit for at least 3 weeks before using. Place a new nasturtium in the finished bottle for decoration, but you should make sure the vinegar always covers the flowers or they will mold. Makes 1 pint vinegar to use in salads, sauces and flavoring in other dishes.
From: Herbal Gardens
Stuffed Nasturtium Flowers
Nasturtium flowers have a wonderful peppery flavor.
Mix 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 2 Tablespoons finely minced chives or other herbs of your choice. Stuff the mixture into nasturtium flowers and place on a tray that has been lined with nasturtium leaves. Serve at room temperature.
From: Herbal Gardens