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Making the world a little greener with our spare thyme.
The Cumberland Herb Association September 2013
Are you ready for autumn? It’s officially here this weekend!
with me...hopefully I can keep you informed & entertained while she gets settled into her new house in Fairview! I would love to add some pictures from your gardens or maybe some advice or tips...so please feel free to send me your ideas.
Hi everyone! It’s me, Jessica...I’ll be giving Michelle a hand with the newsletter for a while. Please feel free to contact me if you have any news or recipes to share through the newsletter. I know we all loved Michelle’s newsletters, so please bear
Remember - the new night for our meetings is Wednesday instead of Tuesday now!
At September’s meeting, Lynne will be giving us a soap making demonstration. You don’t want to miss it! There’s no need to bring supplies for the demo. However, if you have any ideas for next year’s lawn & garden show, please bring them to share with the group.
Our next meeting will be
Wednesday Sept. 25th at 7:00pm at The Miniature Cottage, 410 E. Iris in Berry Hill (near 100 Oaks in Nashville)
Hope to see everyone at the meeting! 1
CHA Newsletter Editor - Jessica M. Bach 891-8735 • email: jessica_mayo@bellsouth.net. If you have any information to include in the newsletter, please contact the editor by the first week of the month.
Herb of the Month: Coriandrum Sativum
Coriander & Cilantro
I struggled all spring & summer to grow cilantro. The seeds would sprout but only produce spindly little plants - nothing like it should be. I finally decided to look for some tips online & found out that it’s not a heat tolerant plant. OK, I admit that I assumed that because it’s used often in Mexican food, it must be a plant grown in Mexico & should like warm weather. I was wrong, I admit it! Here’s some more info that I found interesting & hopefully you will too. Cilantro, the herb, & coriander, the spice, are used in a wide variety of cuisines. The leaves have a different taste from the seeds, with citrus overtones. The fresh leaves are an ingredient in many Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese & Thai dishes. The seeds often are used as a spice in various curries, pickled vegetables, sausages & even Belgian style beer - any other Blue Moon fans out there? The plant’s origins were traced back to ancient Greece & it grows natively in regions of southern Europe, North Africa & southwestern Asia.
Most people either love or hate cilantro. I love it, but if you’re one of the people that experience an unpleasant “soapy” taste or a rank smell from the leaves, you’ll be happy to know it’s not just you. There’s a genetic link to the detection of “soapy” versus “herby” tastes. Hopefully you can still enjoy the taste of coriander! My favorite use of cilantro is as a garnish on Mexican inspired dishes, but it’s a great addition to salads & sandwiches, too. If you haven’t tried a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, you’re missing out! Here are three local Vietnamese restaurants where you can find banh mi’s on the appetizer menus...but don’t be fooled, they’re more of a meal than an appetizer! • VN Pho & Deli*, 5906 Charlotte Pike • Kien Gang*, 5845 Charlotte Pike • Miss Saigon, 5849 Charlotte Pike *cash only
Cilantro & coriander recipes are on the next page... 2
Images from www.freedigitalphotos.net “Handmade herbal soap” by DUSKY “Ingredients” by WORRADMU • "Raw Coriander Leaves" by SOMMAI • www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com
September’s Recipe - Cilantro
Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwich
2 scallions, minced 1 fresh red/green chile pepper, seeded & minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 Tbs sugar, divided 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 2 Tbs Vietnamese fish sauce 1 1/2 Tbs lime juice 1 pork tenderloin, about 1 1/2 pounds, trimmed 1 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper 1/4 tsp salt 1 baguette 2 carrots, peeled & thinly sliced 1 cup thinly sliced daikon 2 tsp vegetable oil Mayonnaise 1/2 English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced 3 jalapeno or serrano peppers, seeded & thinly sliced Fresh cilantro leaves
Directions: Pork: Combine the scallions, minced chile pepper, garlic, 1 Tbs sugar, black pepper, fish sauce & lime juice with pork in a gallon size ziplock bag. Allow to marinate at least 6 hours in the refrigerator. Remove the pork from the marinade, pat it dry & brush with vegetable oil. Grill over medium-high heat 18 to 20 minutes. Allow the cooked pork to rest prior to slicing. Pickled vegetables: Combine vinegar, 3 Tbs sugar, crushed red pepper & salt; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar & salt are dissolved; cool slightly before add the carrots & daikon. Refrigerate 30 minutes/overnight. Assembly: Using 6-inch pieces of French bread, slice each piece in half lengthwise & toast lightly. Spread both sides with mayonnaise. Slice the pork & divide evenly between each sandwich. Top with cucumber slices, sliced jalapeno peppers, pickled carrot & daikon mixture. Garnish with cilantro leaves & serve immediately.
September’s Recipe - Coriander
South Indian-Style Vegetable Curry
1 large yellow onion, finely diced 4 med cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbs fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated 1 Tbs ground coriander 1-1/2 tsp ground cumin 3/4 tsp ground turmeric 1/2 tsp cayenne 1 Tbs tomato paste 2 cups lower-salt chicken or vegetable broth 1 cup light coconut milk One 3-inch cinnamon stick
1 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 cauliflower, broken into 1-1/2-inch florets (about 4 cups) 1 lb sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups) 2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups) 2 large carrots, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch rounds (about 1 cup) One 15-1/2-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 4 oz baby spinach (about 4 lightly packed cups) 2 Tbs fresh lime juice 1 tsp finely grated lime zest 2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
Heat 2 Tbs canola oil in a 5-6 quart Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium heat. Add the onion & cook until it is richly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic & ginger & cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric & cayenne; stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices. Add the tomato paste & stir until well blended with the aromatics, about 1 minute. Add the broth, coconut milk, cinnamon stick, salt & pepper; bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low or low & simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, tomatoes & carrots. Raise the heat to medium high & return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in the chickpeas, spinach, lime juice & zest; cook until the spinach has wilted, about 3 more minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve over rice or couscous garnished with fresh cilantro.
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Recipes from www.finecooking.com/recipes/south-indian-style-vegetable-curry www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/vietnamese-style-marinated-and-grilled-pork-poboy-banh-mi-recipe