Herbs for a Flavour Punch

Story And Photographs By Natalie Findlay

The saying, “great things come in small packages” seems like it grew out of someone’s love of herbs. These tiny, emerald-green, flavour bombs can elevate just about anything. Take your bagel with cream cheese to a ‘dill-lightfully’, scrumptious bagel by adding dill, parsley, and lemon zest, a worthy and satisfying snack. It can turn your lemonade into an elegant mocktail. Herbs add flare to the otherwise boring and bland foods.

As the ground warms, planting season approaches. Whether you have a large, in-ground garden or a few pots on a deck, herbs will give you a summer packed with flavourful food options. They are easy to maintain, don’t take up much room and it feels so rewarding to grow, trim, eat, and repeat.

There are so many herbs to choose from. Almost any flavour bomb you would like to add to your meal, you just need the right herb and you’ve got a hit.

Parsley, cilantro, mint, lemon thyme, sage, rosemary, bay leaf, tarragon, lemon verbena, marjoram - plus so many more choices. Add your favourite to drinks, salads, dips, soups, stews, and even desserts.

Plant a few herbs this weekend and reap the flavourful benefits all year.

Triple Lemon and Lavender Lemonade

Refreshing and full of flavour, this is a perfect summer evening drink.

Serves 3

½ cup sugar

1 cup (250 mL) water

1 Tbs lavender flowers

5 leaves lemon balm

8 leaves lemon verbena

6-8 Tbs (90-120 mL) fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 small can soda water

Lemon slices for garnish

1. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small pot. Make sure sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Add the lavender, lemon balm and lemon verbena and let steep 20 minutes. Strain and reserve.

2. Adjust quantities to the size of your glass. The proportion of ingredients are: 1 tablespoon syrup, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 3 - 4 tablespoons soda water.

3. Combine the syrup and lemon juice, shaken over ice and poured into a glass filled with ice and top with the soda water. Or through caution to the wind and free pour however much you want.

Note: Triple Lemon and Lavender Lemonade can be made in larger batches and kept in the fridge for 5 days (add soda water just before serving).

Herbs are fresh and flavourful and you want to make sure they stay that way for as long as possible. Keep them looking fresh by gently wrapping them in damp paper towels and store in a loose plastic bag in the fridge.

Rosemary Orange Herb Shortbread Cookies

Makes 12 small cookies

¼ cup butter, softened

1/3 cup icing sugar, sifted

¾ cup flour, sifted

1½ tsp ground rosemary

½ orange, juice and zest

½ tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 325º F.

2. In medium bowl add the softened butter and sifted icing sugar and combine using a hand mixer (can also be made in a stand mixer).

3. Add the flour, rosemary, orange juice, orange zest, and sea salt, and mix until everything comes together, scraping the bowl as necessary.

4. Using a small cookie scoop (equivalent to a tablespoon or so), scoop out approximately 12 cookies and place on a baking sheet. Bake 12 - 14 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and gently lift from the baking sheet unto a cooling rack. Let cool completely.

Orange Icing (for cookies, optional)

2 Tbs (30 mL) butter, softened

1/3 cup icing sugar, sifted

1½ tsp orange juice

Orange zest, for garnish

In a small bowl, combine the butter, icing sugar and orange juice. Mix until smooth and thoroughly combined. Using the back of a spoon, gently spread on top of the cooled cookies. Garnish with orange zest.

Note: For the cookies, instead of rosemary, you can also substitute with lavender or lemon thyme and lemon juice and zest.

Spicy Green Herby Sauce

Makes 1½ cups

2 green peppers

1 jalapeño

Oil for coating peppers

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 tsp ground cumin

50 g parsley (small handful)

10 stalks chives

50 g cilantro (small handful)

2 tsp (10 mL) white wine vinegar

1 tsp sea salt

1 lemon, zest

Note: Store in fridge for up to 5 days. Makes a great marinade, dip or dollop on fish, stew or roasted vegetables. Can also be frozen for 3 months.

1. Preheat oven to broil.

2. In a medium bowl, coat the green and jalapeño peppers in oil. Place on a baking sheet and broil in the oven on the top shelf. Turn the peppers as each side browns. When completely charred, return all peppers to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

3. Let cool, until peppers softened approximately half an hour. Peel the skin off the peppers and remove the seeds.

4. In a food processor, blitz the garlic. Add the peppers and blitz. Add the cumin, parsley, chives, and cilantro, and blitz. Scrape down the sides.

5. Add the white wine, salt, and lemon zest and blitz to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Serves 4

1 cup quinoa

30 g flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

15 g mint, roughly chopped

10 stalks chives, roughly chopped

15 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 mini cucumber, diced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1/3 cup (80 mL) olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

½-1 lemon, juice and zest

1. Make 1 cup of quinoa as per package directions. Let cool to room temperature. 2. In a medium bowl, add all the ingredients and give a gentle stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature.

Note: will keep for 2 days in the fridge. Serve alongside your favourite side such as bbq lemon chicken or salmon.

Natalie is a freelance writer, photographer, and pastry chef. A graduate of Cordon Bleu’s pastry program, she manages her own business too to create custom-made cakes.