Tag Archives: Herbs to Grow and Use in Dallas

Arugula-Pear-Blue Cheese Salad

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Arugula, Pears, Pecans, Blue Cheese For Salad

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp peach or pear preserves

1/2 cup Champagne vinegar

1 shallot, sliced

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper 

1/2 cup olive oil 

8 cups loosely packed arugula

2 Bartlett pears, cut into 6 wedges each

4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans 

Process 1/4 cup preserves and next 5 ingredients in a food processor 30 seconds to 1 minute or until smooth.  With processor running, pour oil through food chute in a slow steady stream, processing until smooth.  Transfer to a 2-cup measuring cup or small bowl, and stir in remaining 2 Tbsp peach preserves. 

Place arugula in a large serving bowl.  Top with pears, blue cheese, and pecans.  Drizzle with vinaigrette. 

Elizabeth  From Southern Living Magazine 

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Creamy Polenta With Sage and Roasted Wild Mushrooms

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Sage In Snow

On a crisp, cold night this dish will really warm you up.

Polenta:

  • 1 3/4 cups water
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 3/4 cup polenta
  • 2/3 cup creme frache or sour cream
  • 1 ounce Monterey jack cheese shredded, (1/4 cup)
  • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (1/4 cup)
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated pepper
  • Roasted Wild Mushrooms

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring water, broth, and garlic to a boil in a large oven proof saucepan over medium high heat.  Slowly mix in polenta.  Reduce heat to medium.  Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  cover and place in oven.  Bake until thick, but still creamy, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. (add more water if mixture appears dry.)

Sage Leaves

Sage:  

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup fresh sage leaves
  • salt

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium high heat.  Add sage leaves. Fry until crisp, about 10 seconds.  Drain on paper towels. Season with salt. Set aside.

Combine polenta, creme fraiche, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, butter, salt, and pepper. Spoon polenta onto serving plates.  Top with roasted wild mushrooms. Garnish with sage leaves. Seve Immediately.

Roasted Wild Mushrooms:

  • 8 gloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary chopped
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 pound large fresh wild mushrooms (shitake, oyster, or cremini)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Creamy Polenta With Sage

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with foil. combine garlic, olive oil, vinegar, rosemary, and thyme in a large bowl. Add mushrooms and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper. Arrange mushrooms in a single layer on prepared baking sheets.  Roast until mushrooms are tender and slightly crisp on edges, about 25 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Linda

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Apple-Sage Tarte Tatin

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Dallas Garden Buzz

A rustic and comforting dessert.

6 Granny Smith’s apples, peeled, cored, sliced into 8 wedges

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons minced sage leaves

 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Dough

Garnish:  fresh sage leaves; lightly sweetened whipped cream optional

Apple-Sage Tart Cooking In Iron Skillet

Preheat oven to 425°.

Put apples, lemon juice, and brown sugar in a large bowl and toss to mix; set aside.  Melt butter in a 9-10 inch cast iron skillet or other heavy, oven-safe skillet and stir in granulated sugar.  Cook over medium high heat, stirring, until mixture turns * pale golden.  Add apple mixture and cook, tossing occasionally to coat apples, for 5 minutes.  Add sage leaves and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.  Set aside while you roll out the dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 10 inch circle for a 9 inch skillet or an 11 inch circle for a 10 inch skillet, lifting dough and turning to prevent sticking to the surface.  Fold the dough in half or quarters and place it over the apples in the skillet.  Unfold the dough, tuck the overhang under the edge of the dough into the skillet and cut 4 slits in a circle at the center of the dough.  Bake 20 minutes until the crust is deep golden.

Using heavy oven mitts, remove skillet from oven and shake lightly to dislodge any stuck apples.  Place a a serving platter over the pan and, gripping the pan and plate lightly together, flip the tart over onto the platter.  Let stand a few minutes before serving or serve at room temperature.  do not refrigerate.  Garnish with a few fresh sage leaves, and serve plain or with whipped cream.

Apple-Sage Tarte Tatin With Sweeetened Whip Cream and Sage Garnish

8 servings.

 *Be sure to only let the mixture get a “pale golden color”.  You really have to watch closely to keep it from getting too brown.

Recipe and Pictures from Linda, adapted from DESSERTS FROM AN HERB GARDEN

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Poached Pears With Sage-Honey Glaze

Posted on November 17, 2012 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Finish a heavy meal with a lighter touch.

Poached Pear Dessert With Sage-Honey Glaze

6 cups water

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

4 pears, preferably bosc or d’Anjou

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoons chopped sage leaves

Garnish: sage leaves, heavy cream optional

In a dutch oven or large saucepan, stir together water, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a a simmer.

Meanwhile, peel pears and halve them, leaving the stem intact on one half. Working from the bottom, insert an apple corer or melon baller to remove cores.

Gently place pears in sugar syrup and cook, uncovered, at a steady simmer.  Cooking time may be anywhere from 8 minutes to 30 minutes, depending on the pears’ ripeness; pears are done when they are tender and a paring knife can be inserted easily.

Meanwhile combine honey and sage leaves in a small saucepan an bring them just to a simmer over medium-low heat.  Remove from heat and let stand until pears are done.

When pears are done, remove them with a slotted spoon, draining them well, to a large plate, flat sides down.  Reheat sage honey if needed to make it liquid enough to brush onto pears;strain out sage leaves.  Brush honey over each pear (don’t brush the flat sides).  Arrange on serving plates with the stem half of each pear propped on the other half.

Serve pears garnished with sage leaves; drizzle with a little cream if desired.

Recipe and photo by Linda, adapted from DESSERTS FROM AN HERB GARDEN

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Cheddar Cheese and Sage Biscuits

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Throw a log on the fire and enjoy these “cheesy” biscuits with your favorite bowl of soup.  Makes about 16.

Sage From Linda's Garden

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3 cups grated cheddar cheese (9 ounces)

2/3 cup finely sliced fresh sage leaves

2 cups buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375° F. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and paprika.  Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in cheese and sage. Add buttermilk, stir with a fork until mixture just comes together to form a sticky dough. On a lightly floured work surface, with floured hands, pat dough into a 1-inch thick round.

Using a 2 1/2 inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out biscuits as close together as possible, dipping cutter into flour each time to prevent sticking. transfer biscuits to a baking sheet.

In a small bowl, stir together egg and cream.  Lightly brush the top of each biscuit with egg wash. Bake until golden brown rotating baking sheet halfway through, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe and photo by Linda, adapted from  NEW ENGLAND OPEN HOUSE.

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Fall Herbs

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Paula taught a class at our garden last week about fall herbs.  She gave us the name of a new sage: New’re Year’re Sage and gave it the thumbs up for taste.  We will all have to look at Dallas garden centers to try to find it.

She reminded us to plant Cutting Celery, which smells and tastes like celery.  Chop up the slender stalks and leaves of Cutting Celery for tuna and  in any dish that call for celery.  I’ll bet she uses it in Bloody Mary’s too!

Fall Herbs For Texas Gardens

We talked about Bay which Paula uses fresh in her recipes and doubles the amount of leaves.  For instance using 4 when her soup recipe says 2.  When purchasing Bay, you want to make sure you are buying the culinary version.

Bay Leaf

Paula says hold a leaf up to the light; if you can see the veins of the leaf, you have the correct Bay.

Mexican Mint Marigold

 Texans use the licorice flavored leaves of Mexican Mint Marigold as a Tarragon substitute and the flowers as an edible garnish.  It is blooming now in our Demonstration Garden.

It’s not too late to harvest Basil to make a few batches of Basil Butter for the holidays or Basil Ice Cubes.  Use your Basil now because it will be gone after the first frost.  
 
Basil Ice Cubes: Wash and dry your Basil and remove the leaves from the stems. Discard the stems. Finely chop the leaves. Fill an ice-cube tray with chopped Basil, scooping one tablespoon of the Basil into each cube. Fill the cubes with vegetable or chicken broth. When they freeze, pop them out of your tray and into a Ziploc bag in your freezer.  Yum-Basil all winter to be added to soups and vegetables!
 
We can also rely on Rosemary, Hot and Spicy Oregano in salsa and enchiladas, Lemon Verbena, and Italian Parsley to perk up our fall menus.

Ann

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Thanksgiving’s Coming, Plant Sage Now!

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Have you ever thought of putting a bit of sage in your spaghetti sauce? Hmmm. I’ll pass on that one. The beloved herb Salvia officinalis actually is a Mediterranean native that has migrated around the world and now lends its woodsy flavoring to our Thanksgiving table.

Classic Green Sage

If you want to have a patch of sage ready for holiday picking, now is a great time to tuck it in the herb garden. Marian Buchanan, the Dallas herb expert, suggests planting herbs in a generous half day of sunlight, preferably morning light with some afternoon protection.  Good drainage is critical with herbs; Marian says to add at least 2-3 inches of organic compost and expanded shale before planting. Like rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, and fennel, sage is sensitive to overwatering.  Marian suggests watering thoroughly, then let the soil dry a bit.

I visited the herb section of our local nursery last week and like jelly beans at the mall candy store, I wanted a variety of each color.  The classic green garden sage is perfect for turkey stuffing and flavoring stock.  Try this sage blended into mild cheese or minced with other herbs in a delectable melted butter. 

Berggarten SageThe ‘Berggarten’ sage leaves are quite a bit larger and more rounded than oval-leafed garden sage.  If dried, this sage can lose its flavor and taste more medicinal after awhile.  Try freezing the fresh leaves for better flavor.  ‘Berggarten’ translates to ‘mountain garden’ in German.  The name comes from the gardening plots of the Herrenhausen Gardens in Hanover, Germany, built in 1666 to supply produce for the Herrenhauser Castle in Lower Saxony.

On your herb buying trip, you also might see the adorable ‘Tricolor’ sage. The pink, white and green leaves have the classic sage taste and are popular asTricolor Sage a garnish for roasted turkeys.  Crushed or chopped leaves add a wonderful flavor to soups, teas, vegetables, salmon or tilapia fillets.  If you want to keep the lovely pink edge on this sage, be sure to plant it in sufficient sunlight.  Otherwise, the leaves will fade to just green and white. 

Linda has tempted our blog readers with so many of her recipes.  She’s culling her holiday files now for Thanksgiving classics, many featuring sage. 

In my kitchen, I’m like the Chinese in the 17th century who so admired sage from the Dutch merchants that they would trade three chests of Chinese tea for one chest of sage. 

Elizabeth

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Cinnamon Basil Swirl Cake

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Cinnamon Basil Cake Swirl Cake

CAKE

2 tablespoons minced cinnamon basil leaves

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon coarse salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon baking soda 

SWIRL

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 10-inch springform pan. 

2.  In a small bowl, whisk together cinnamon basil leaves, flour, baking p0wder, and salt; set aside. 

3.  In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time until fluffy and well blended.  Beat in vanilla. 

4.  In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and baking soda until smooth.  With mixer on low speed, beat half the flour mixture into the butter mixture just until blended.  Beat in sour cream mixture, then remaining flour, beating just until blended.  Spread into prepared pan. 

5.  Make swirl:  In a small bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle evenly over batter; swirl into batter with the tip of a knife, being careful not to touch the knife to base of the pan. 

6.  Bake cake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely (or nearly so) on a wire rack before removing pan side and slicing.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Yield:  8 to 12 servings

Linda

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Cinnamon Basil Chicken

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Cinnamon Basil Chicken Garnished With Cinnamon And Basil 

1 frying chicken, about 4 ½ pounds, cut into 8 pieces with the backbone

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, halved and sliced from root end to top

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

One (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained of half the liquid

Three 3-inch cinnamon sticks, preferably “true” cinnamon

3 star anise pods

1 ½ cups torn  leaves cinnamon basil, or sweet basil,  gently  packed

Season all sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid.  When the pan is hot, put the chicken pieces in the pan, skin side down, and cook uncovered until the skin turns deep golden brown, at least 6 to 8 minutes.  Turn the chicken and cook another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side.  Take the chicken out of the pan and pile it on a platter.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the pan.  Stir them around for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they soften and begin to brown.  Add the tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.  Put the chicken back in the pan.  When the tomatoes come to a simmer, cover the pan, turn the heat to very low, and cook for about 50 minutes, or until there is little resistance when you pierce a thigh with the tip of a paring knife.  If the sauce seems watery, turn the heat to high and boil it uncovered until it thickens.  Scatter in the basil as you toss the chicken in the sauce with tongs.  Serve right away. 

Yield:  4 servings

Adapted from The Herbal Kitchen by Jerry Traunfeld

Linda

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Peach And Red Onion Relish

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Peach And Red Onion Relish 

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Coarse salt and ground pepper

¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced

2 ripe peaches, very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cinnamon basil leaves 

In a small bowl of ice water soak onion for 10 minutes;  drain, blot dry and return to bowl.  Add peaches, honey, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.  Season with salt and pepper.    Let stand 15 minutes.  Toss with cinnamon basil.

Linda

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