Herb Cottage Tips & Ideas

Sticking Cuttings

Sticking cuttings isn't difficult. Some plants set roots easily, some do not. For beginners, I recommend the easy ones, that way there is satisfaction, not frustration. Easy plants to root from cuttings are rosemary, basil, mints, most old-fashioned or antique roses, even peppers or tomatoes. Thyme, scented geraniums, sage can be more difficult as these plants are sometimes prone to botrytis fungus which makes them turn black and "melt" away.

First you must prepare a pot or tray to receive the cuttings. If you're going to do just a few of one variety, a large pot will do, and you can place all the cuttings in the same pot. Or, you can place one per 4" pot, or use multi packs left over from nursery purchases. Whichever type of pot you use make sure it is clean. It's a good idea to rinse it in a bleach and water solution to make sure there are no bugs lurking or disease. Use about a 1:10 part solution bleach to water.

The planting medium you use should be light and well draining. Some people like a peat based potting mix that includes perlite and vermiculite. Others like a bark based mix. I find the bark based mixes do not drain well enough for most herbs, so I use a peat based mix. Fill your pots to the brim then water the medium well. Plain water will do, although you can mist the cuttings with any organic fertilizer, seaweed or fish emulsion spray later on. Let the pots drain well and then they are ready to receive your cuttings.

To prepare a cutting, take about 4" off the end of a branch. Include the tip of the branch. And, as with pruning, be sure to cut just above a leaf node so the parent plant can regrow nicely. Take your cutting and strip or clip off any leaves that are growing along the lower half of the stem. Then, make a slanted cut just below the lowest leaf node. Dip the end in rooting hormone (found in any nursery or garden center) and stick the cutting into the prepared pot about half way up the stripped part of the stem. Press the soil gently around the stem to make sure you have good stem to soil contact. Water lightly after all the cuttings are stuck.

Place your pots in a bright, shady spot outdoors or near a bright window indoors, or of course if you have a greenhouse, that's a perfect spot for them. Keep them out of direct sunlight. Now, the trick is to keep the medium and cutting moist without keeping it too wet. For just a few cuttings, you can place a plastic bag or even a clear jar over the cuttings to make a little hot house. That retains moisture well. Just open the covering once or twice a day to let in fresh air. If you don't cover your cuttings you'll have to spray or mist them. Leave a hand sprayer nearby, and every time you pass by, give them a spray. You shouldn't have to water the soil unless you see it's really drying out. Then, do water, and include the cuttings, too.

Don't worry if a few leaves fall off, especially of roses. If the stems are still green and healthy looking, new leaves will eventually grow from the nodes. Be patient. Rooting can take anywhere from 10 days for mints and basil to a month or more for roses and some others. When you see new growth, tug gently on the cutting. If there is resistance, you've got roots. You can also upend the pot and check for roots. When you think there are enough roots to move the plant into a larger container, do so. At this time of year you're going to want to keep your plants in pots until spring planting comes along. Or, pot them up in a decorative pot and give them as gifts or grow an indoor herb garden for your kitchen.

Basil Pict

Easy Pesto

2 cups clean basil leaves (you can use all one variety or mixed varieties, according to your taste)
1/4 - 1/2 cup nuts. Pinenuts are traditional, but I use pecans because they grow here on our farm.
1/2 cup grated hard cheese such as Parmesan or Romano, or a blend.
5-8 cloves of garlic, according to your taste
Appoximately 1/2 cup olive or other vegetable oil. This amount can vary depending on how much cheese and nuts you put in.

Food Processor:
Add all ingredients and process until you have a smooth, well-mixed pesto. The consistency should be similar to that of mayonnaise.

Blender
This is a little more work than using a food processor, but makes an equally delicious pesto.
Place about a quarter of the basil leaves in the jar adding 1/2 cup oil, the nuts and cheese. Blend (I use the puree setting or high setting.)
You'll need a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to push the mixture down onto the blades fairly often. ---Don't do what I did one time.... and stick a wooden spoon in the jar before the blades stopped turning. The spoon was jerked from my hand, bounced out of the jar, sprayed oil and basil everywhere and broke the spoon inside the jar. I threw the whole mess away and had to start over so I didn't have splinters in the pesto. In other words.... wait until the blades have stopped turning before sticking the spoon in!!!

After you have that first mix pretty well blended and the nuts are well ground, just keep adding the basil leaves about a handful at time until all the leaves are used up. If the mix is too thick, add a little oil to thin it down.
It doesn't have to be perfectly smooth. In fact, I like the pesto a little coarse so I can see the leaves, but the nuts should be well ground.

To preserve the pesto, I fill ice cube trays with the mixture and freeze it over night. The next day I remove the pesto cubes and store them in a plasic bag or tub in the freezer. One cube is one serving.

Herbal vinegar

To make herbal vinegar is very simple. Take a clean jar.....I like to use either a quart or pint canning jar because the mouth is wide enough to easily add the herbs. Fill the jar with the herbs of your choice. For a pint jar, about a cup of fresh herbs is enough. For a quart jar, 2 cups will work.

Then fill the jar with the vinegar of your choice. Wine or champagne vinegar is great, although costly when making a lot of vinegars. Next best is rice vinegar. You can usually find it in large containers (such as 1 gallon) at an Asian grocery. The cost is quite a bit lower than purchasing the vinegar in small quantities. As a last resort, you may use regular white vinegar.......the kind used for canning. It'll give your vinegar a sharper flavor. But, it's better than no herbal vinegar at all!!!

Harvest your herbs in the late morning after the early dew has dried, but before the heat of the day really sets in. The volatile oils are at their peak at this time. If you live where it's dusty and the herbs need to be washed, swish them in a container of water briefly, then let them dry before making the herb vinegar. If it's practical, wash the plants off the day before you plan to harvest them. Then, you don't have to wash them the day you are making the vinegar.

Let the infusion steep for about 2 weeks. Then, pour off the vinegar, straining particles out if necessary. Now you can fill decorative bottles or any bottle of your choice with the flavored vinegar, adding a sprig or two of fresh herbs for looks.

Flavored vinegar should be stored in a dark place or at least out of direct sunlight. Experiment with some of the combinations below, or make up your own. Think of flavors that sound like they'd taste good together. Most of all, do it and have fun.

Herbal Vinegar Ideas

Suggested Combinations rosemary

Lemon basil by itself

Mexican Mint Marigold (Texas Tarragon) and Peppercorns

Hot Peppers by themselves or with Pearl Onions or Garlic

Fennel, Oregano, Basil, Sage or Garlic

Cinnamon sticks, Whole Cloves, Nutmeg and Allspice

Cinnamon Basil and Whole Cloves

Dill Flowers and Peppercorns

Mint (any kind) by itself (Mix with honey and use on fruit)

Cilantro, Garlic, Whole Cloves and Hot Peppers

Fresh Peaches, Pineapple Sage, Bay, Cinnamon Sticks and Whole Cloves

Salad Burnet by itself for a delicate cucumber flavor (Sprinkle on broiled fish)

Sage, Cinnamon Sticks, Whole Cloves, Whole Allspice, Peppercorns (Marinate pork)

Basil, Garlic and Peppercorns

Rosemary, Garlic, Thyme

Recipes using Herbal Vinegars

Herbal Honey Salad Dressing

1/2 Cup Olive oil
3 Tablespoons honey
3 Tablespoons herbal vinegar
2 Teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 Teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 Teaspoon paprika
1/4 Teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and whirl in blender or shake vigorously in a jar.

Potato Salad

6 medium potatoes
1/4 cup Texas Tarragon vinegar (also called Mexican Mint Marigold vinegar)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped up

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender (about 20 minutes). Drain the potatoes, cool until you are able to handle them, then peel the potatoes and cut into cubes. Pour the Texas Tarragon vinegar over potatoes then add onion and black pepper. Let sit 30 minutes then add remaining ingredients and refrigerate.

Cucumber Salad

2 Medium cucumbers
1 Tablespoon salt
1/2 Cup Cilantro herbal vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 Cup sliced sweet red pepper
1 small onion, sliced

Wash cucumbers and slice thinly. Place cucumber slices in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 2 hours, then drain off any liquid that has formed. Add red pepper and onion to cucumber slices. Combine Cilantro vinegar and sugar and pour over the vegetables. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

CHIVES

In order to stop Alexander the Great from invading, the Siverians offered him the only treasure they had--chives--in honor of his upcoming marriage to Princess Toxana. This was considered correct since the herb was reputed to be an aphrodisiac. Our name for them comes from the French cive, derived from the Latin name for onion, cepa.

CULINARY USES

Chives have a delicate, oniony flavor with a hint of pepperiness. Scatter them generously over salads, soups, eggs, or cheese dishes. Use with seafood, especially salmon, shrimp and delicate-flavored fish. Use with many vegetables, especially new potatoes.

In France, chives are used for simple sauces, basic vinaigrettes and egg dishes. The Germans add chives to mayonnaise and the Russians use them with lamb and beet dishes. The English use chives in fresh cheeses and salads. Egyptians and Lebanese garnish spicy meat stews and sauces with chives. Persian cuisine uses chives and garlic chives lavishly in herb salads, meat sauces and soups. The Japances use chives for a garnish for their clear soups and add garlic chives to fish and vegetable stews. Garlic chives are added to egg dishes and stir-fried beef in China and several spicy noodle Thai dishes call for large amounts of garlic chives.

Both varieties of chives produce sweet edible flowers which can be scattered over salads or dipped in a light batter and fried gently. Steep the blossom of both varieties in white wine vinegar for marinades and salads. Best to use chives fresh or frozen ( and they lose their flavor after 3-4 months). Flavors are diminished by cooking so sprinkle over foods at last minute. Crucial ingredient in "fines herbes".

thyme Bouquet Garni-Variations

If you take a look at the seasoning in many European-based dishes, you will find recurring herbal themes. Certain herbs just seem to go well together. Many of these seasoning ensembles can be traced back to a French cooking tradition known as a "bouquet garni".

The bouquet garni is generally a triad of herbs. The literal translation from the French is "nosegay trimmings", certainly not an appetizing description. The traditional mix is bay leaf, thyme, and parsley. These herbs can be used whole and fresh or crushed and dried. When fresh, the three herb sprigs can be tied together with kitchen twine and tossed into the sauce "as is". When the cooking is done, the bouquet is removed and discarded. If the herbs are dried, they can be crushed and added directly to the pot in roughly equal proportions.

Now what if the threesome of bay leaf, thyme, and parsley is not appetizing for you. Are you doomed to never use a bouquet garni? No indeed. In fact, this triad is extremely flexible. You can substitute a range of herbs for either the thyme or the parsley. The key is to recognize that thyme is a member of the mint family (square stemmed herbs) and parsley is the defining member of the parsley family (basal leaves, thick taproot). Take a look at the chart below. All you need to do is use one from the mint column, one from the parsley column, and add bay leaf.

rosemary

Parsley Family	Aromatic Tree	Mint Family
anise	bay leaf	basil
celery		sweet marjoram
chervil		rosemary
dill		sage
fennel		savory
parsley		thyme

The French are not the only ones using a bouquet garni in their soup. You can also use certain regional additions to this herbal bouquet. Each country in Europe has characteristic variations, as follows:

Italy: parsley, chervil, bay leaf, (thyme or marjoram or basil)

Denmark: bay leaf, thyme, parsley, marjoram, lemon peel, mace, cloves, peppercorns

Spain: parsley, bay leaf, thyme, spring onions, garlic

Hungary: bay leaf, parsley, marjoram, green pepper, caraway seeds

Germany: lots of bay leaf, parsley root, thyme

In some cases, you may not want the visible remains of the herb leaves in your food. Sometimes this is desirable because flecks of dark green from the herbs will detract from the visual effect. Sometimes it is necessary because a family member (small children or one�s spouse) doesn�t like seeing �leaves� in his/her food.

When this happens, you have two choices (besides telling them to cook it themselves). You can use a tea ball made from fine wire mesh material to steep the dried herbs while confining the solid remains. Or you can use the more traditional method of taking a piece of cheesecloth or muslin, wrapping the herbs in it, and placing it in the sauce.

Whether mesh ball or muslin bag is used, the bundle can be easily retrieved when the cooking is done.

So the next time you braise beef, cook a turkey, or make soup, throw a bouquet in your family�s food. Who knows? They may start bringing you real bouquets!

Simple Hints for Herbal Cooking

Here are some hints to help you incorporate fresh herbs into your cooking

~ Rub chopped, fresh herbs like marjoram or lemon basil into fish before grilling
~ Add a teaspoon of chopped, fresh basil or dill to a cup of mayonnaise for a special spread
~ Sprinkle omelets with fresh minced herbs before folding, or add to scrambled eggs. Try herb and cheese combinations like feta cheese and oregano, or Parmesan and basil.
~ Add a teaspoon or so of chopped mint to a pot of split pea or lentil soup.
~ Rosemary and lemon basil or lemon thyme go great with chicken.
~ Sprinkle chopped, fresh herbs such as Mexican Mint Marigold (Mexican tarragon), parsley or dill on your green salad before tossing

Basic Herb Butter

1/2 pound butter or margarine, softened

1 tablespoon fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 tablespoon other fresh herb
or a combination of 2 or 3 herbs

Chop herbs very fine with scissors or chef's knife, or in a food processor. Work butter with spoon, rubber spatula or fork until smooth. Stir in finely chopped herbs. Taste, and add more herbs if flavors are not strong enough. Keep in mind, that flavors will develop more fully with several hours of storage. Be sure to remove any large stems. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Note: herb butters may be melted for use, but take care when heating, especially when broiling, as fresh herbs burn easily.

Experiment with other additions such as:

lemon juice Dijon mustard dry mustard
finely chopped bay leaf 1-2 cloves crushed garlic paprika

Use your own judgment to determine amounts. Start small, you can always add more. Taste often.

Perfect Herbal Tea

After a stressful day or for a natural pick-me-up, a cup of herbal tea is soothing and refreshing. Choose pick-me-up herbs like mints or soothing ones like catnip or chamomile. Let your mood decide.

Use approximately 1 teaspoon fresh herbs for each cup (about 6-8 ounces). Pour boiling water over your fresh herbs (you may slightly bruise the leaves to help release their flavors) in a china or glass pot. Metals, including stainless steel, may alter the flavor of the tea. Steep for only 5 to 10 minutes for best flavor. The tea should be lightly colored and mild. Pour and enjoy plain or with a little dollop of honey.

You may use dried herbs for tea also. Just remember dried herbs have a stronger flavor so only use about 1/2 teaspoon per cup and proceed as for fresh herbs.

Perfect Herbal Iced Tea

Prepare tea as for hot herbal tea (above) using either fresh or dried herbs, but more herbs per cup, up to 2 teaspoons fresh, 1 teaspoon dried. Steep no more than 10 minutes to prevent bitterness. Stir in sweetener while tea is hot. Chill and serve, or simply fill a glass with ice and pour hot tea over and enjoy.

For sun tea, fill a jar with cold water, add slightly bruised herbs, stems and all, about 2 teaspoons per cup, set in the sun for up to 3 hours. Stir in sweetener, if desired, while tea is warm, chill and serve, or simply fill a glass with ice and pour tea over and enjoy.

Basic Herb Salad Dressing

1/4 c. wine vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon mustard (Dijon-style or prepared)
2 to 3 tablespoons freshly chopped herbs*
1/2 c. good olive oil
1 garlic clove

Blend all ingredients, except the garlic, thoroughly with a whisk or fork. Let the flavors blend at room temperature. Rub the salad bowl with the freshly cut halves of the garlic clove. Add washed and dried assorted crispy greens. Pour the whisked-up dressing over the greens and serve promptly.

*Try equal parts basil, parsley, thyme and oregano
OR equal parts basil, savory, thyme
OR thyme, chives, basil
OR try your own combinations.

Fresh Tomato and Herb Sauce

For maximum flavor, don't overcook this sauce, but thoroughly squeeze the seeds and juice out of the tomatoes so it won't be watery .

3 1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes
1/2 c. good olive oil
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons fresh chopped mint
1/4 c. chopped chives
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. red wine vinegar

With a paring knife, slice a cross in the skin in the bottom of each tomato. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water to loosen the skin; squeeze gently to peel and remove seeds and excess juice. Dice the tomatoes, then puree half of them in a blender or food processor. Heat the oil, diced tomatoes, tomato puree in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the remaining ingredients and cook just until heated through.

Simple Preserving Tips For Herbs

There are several ways to preserve herbs for later use. Drying may seem like the easiest, but it isn't always the most effective to maintain the fine taste of culinary herbs. Freezing herbs is a most effective, easy, and quick method.

For either of the following methods, use just the leaves and soft stems, woody stems should be discarded and used elsewhere, in the fireplace, for example, or in tea.

Probably the best method is to freeze herbs in oil. Use about 2 cups chopped herbs, singly or in combinations, to about 1/2 cup of cooking oil. Using either a food processor or blender, gradually add the oil to the chopped herbs. The mixture should be fairly thick. Pack the herbal oil into small glass or plastic containers or ice cube trays and freeze. To use, just scrape or chip the amount needed and add to your favorite recipe. These oils should last up to about 2 years in the freezer.

To freeze herbs in water or stock, chop herbs, either one herb alone or make a combination of your favorites. Fill the sections of an ice cube tray as full as you can. Simply pour hot water or stock over them and freeze. When frozen, remove from the trays and store in plastic bags for later use. Use the "herb cubes" in soups, stews, sauces or anywhere you would use fresh herbs.

	lemon juice		Dijon mustard		dry mustard
	finely chopped bay leaf		1-2 cloves crushed garlic		paprika