Much Virtue in Herbs

I am continuing to harvest a bountiful crop of herbs. "Bountiful" is a relative term here as my garden sits in diminutive pots on my patio. The harvest, however small, has allowed me to enjoy cooking with fresh aromatic plants throughout the summer and into the fall.

I relish unleashing the rich verdure as the herbs are chopped, crushed and pureed.  Fresh herbs enhance the flavors of an endless number of dishes and add an artful presentation to any culinary experience. Cilantro, with its delicate lacy foliage and pungent flavor, is a favorite of mine for flavoring chicken, rice and ethnic entrees.

Basil, touted as the "king of herbs", is a tender plant with an endless variety of aromas. Its fragrant, delightful leaves are the foundation of pesto. The diminutive thyme leaf, utilized by the ancients in their baths and incense, is now a work-horse herb which commonly enlivens meats, soups and stews. Herbs are so convenient in their dried form. However, nothing matches the flavoring power of fresh herbs.

Unfortunately, the fresh herb maintains a short shelf life. Fresh thyme cannot be expected to make it even a week in the refrigerator. You can savor the fresh flavor a little longer by blanching the herbs in hot water and then freezing them. I understand that basil freezes nicely once pureed. I'd love to hear about your experiences with frozen herbs.

I have shared my recipe for Balsamic Chicken with Cilantro. It would be a disservice to the chicken to utilize anything but fresh cilantro in this dish. Now, I would like to recommend a recipe that my daughter enjoys preparing. Her inspiration for this recipe came from the June 1995 issue of Gourmet. Thyme is given its rightful place as it enhances this delightful and easy chicken entree.

Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken

12-15 chicken breasts halved

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup Chardonnay or similar white wine

3 tbl. freshly ground pepper

3 tsp garlic

3 tbl. fresh thyme

Whisk all ingredients together in large bowl. Place chicken breasts in large baking dish. Pour blended ingredients over chicken. Let marinate for 15-30 minutes, forking occasionally. Grill on medium heat for about 4-6 minutes per side. Do not over cook as the chicken will dry out. . Serves 8-10.

"Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a fatted calf with hatred." - Prov. 15:17

Comments

[Mrs. Parunak]

You're such an inspiration. I used to have an herb garden. Maybe I should try again

[Organizing Mommy]

Hey, I KNOW you wanted to say something about the old truck post... Now that you can comment, get over there. Glad to have you back.

[Organizing Mommy]

Hi! What beautiful pictures! I love the use of "verdure" also. No lack for vocabulary around here!

Now, I should admit that I adore cilantro. My DH can not stand it. Actually, he used to like it until we moved to Panama, where they had it in everything. (Actually, theirs is cultantro I think.. which is a lot stronger than our mild, cilantro) Anyhoo, maybe I should get the rest of the cilantro from the garden and make this.

In two weeks, the kids and I are heading to Peoria for that Reformation event. Are you sure you don't want to meet up there? (DH is working, so I'm getting a hotel with a few of the kids)