My Farm to My Fork: Herbs – they’re really not that scary (Herby Potato recipes!)
by Amanda • July 20, 2012 • Gardening, How-to, On the Side, Salads, Vegetables • 20 Comments
I love my herbs. I love the first tender spikes of chive that sneak up through the snow in the Spring, I love the masses of mint that take over our neighbors side-yard (which we use a few times a week for frosty mint (black/rasp/strawberry limeade), and the huge heads of dill that start tipping too early for my cucumbers that I started too late. This is all awesome, you say, because I have a huge garden, right? I do, but that garden is 2 1/2 miles from my house behind a church. It isn’t so very convenient for herb use unless one is really organized with perfectly planned meals. That, I am not.
But! I have a tiny patch of ground in the front yard of my two-bedroom townhouse (I like to throw that in there to feel like more of a martyr) and three planters with herbs in them. In my tiny space I have marjoram, thyme, sage, peppermint, pineapple mint, lavender, tarragon, coconut thyme, oregano, chives, unrelenting lemon balm, and rosemary – and I use them all the time. I have tried unsuccessfully to grow other edibles out there, but to no avail. It all dies. It’s like it knows I have another garden and gets jealous. But my herbs are content to grow and be and bring me great joy – except for my rosemary which must hate me (or Utah winters – more likely).
But what in the world do I do with my herbs? Everything. And you can too. Because they’re not that scary and unlike spices, they’re really, really hard to screw up using if you use your nose.
How do you know what to use? First, consider what you’re making or what veggies you have are or what you want! Does it hail from the Mediterranean? Asia? Middle East? South America? Think about what herbs you’d find used there. Are you in the mood for potatoes or a salad – or both (I make a killer herbed potato salad)? Can you throw a handful into a loaf of bread or stirred into your quinoa after cooking?
Second, what do you have? Does your neighbor have mint growing like crazy (it’s the only way it grows), or can you dig out a start from your friends thyme or oregano or chives? Most people I know are more than willing to share herbs. Use what you have and it can turn any vegetable into something you’ve never dreamed of.
Third, smell your herbs. They’re most pungent first thing in the morning or if you’re doing a big harvest just as the flowers bloom. If you want to mix herbs, crush a few of them together in your hand – do they smell good? Excellent – use them! If not, try another combo, or just use one. You will quickly learn that lavender and curry plant DO NOT go well together, but that thyme and chives and mint do!
Fourth, don’t be scared to try them!!! I’ve screwed up meals that had perfectly good recipes to follow, so I’m willing to screw some up that don’t too. Odds are good that you won’t be disappointed, but if you are, the loss is usually bearable.
Fifth, and very importantly, don’t add them too early! Spices need to be exposed to high heat to bring out their flavors (blooming them), but herbs just want to be warmed to release their very fragile oils.
If you don’t have herbs growing, now is a good time to find them cheap or to dig out a start from a neighbor’s plant for the perennials (oregano, thyme, dill, tarragon, lavender, rosemary – if it doesn’t die like mine, and mint). If you don’t get them growing this year, they’ll grow like crazy next year. Dill, cilantro, and parsley still elude my growing skills (I haven’t tried that hard), but they can be pretty cheap (except for the dill) at the store.
If you’re not sure where to start, start with my favorite use of them, especially right now as we’re up to our eyeballs in potatoes. I love the smallest potatoes for this dish cooked whole, and a variety of colors makes it ever tastier. I try to use four or five varieties, last night using chives, basil, tarragon, thyme, and mint (which is the most surprising and amazing addition). With leftovers or if you want to make an extra big batch, my Herbed Potato Salad recipe follows.
New Potatoes with Fresh Herbs
(portions are per person – multiply per serving)
¼ – ½ pound baby new potatoes per person, scrubbed
2 T. chopped fresh herbs (mixed is the best way)
1 T olive oil, or butter, or butter substitute
Salt and fresh ground Pepper – to taste
Scrub your potatoes, cutting larger ones into smaller pieces to ensure uniform cooking. Boil or steam until fork tender. While cooking, stem your herbs and roughly chop, tossing into your serving bowl with the oil, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Drain your potatoes and toss with herb mixture. Serve!
(if using rosemary, chop it finer since it’s a bit tougher than others, and be careful with some of the stronger flavors, like sage)
Herbed Potato Salad
Unlike most potato salads that have a lot of other “things” in them, I keep this one simple so the herbs can show off.
1 4-person batch of New Potatoes with Herbs
or
2 lbs cooked new potatoes (yukons, reds, blues, whites – just not russets)
½ to 1 c. chopped herbs – mix it up
3-4 stalks celery, sliced thin
¼ to 1/3 c. chopped red onion, if you have it
Dressing:
¼ – ½ c. vegan mayonnaise
2-4 T non-dairy milk, I like almond milk best
1-2 T balsamic vinegar
1-2 T dijon or spicy brown mustard
1-2 T lemon juice
Salt and fresh ground Pepper (so much better fresh, especially in simple dishes like this)
Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk them up. Use your blender if you like, I usually just toss it all in a bowl cause I’m lazy like that. Adjust seasonings to your liking – does it taste yummy and is it strong enough to flavor the potatoes without overpowering them?
Toss ALL the ingredients together, and chill until ready to eat – that means the salad AND you.
I only have a patio garden, all my herbs come from pots. Since we’re in Australia, they grow almost all year long. I love running out with my daughter to pick whatever herbs we need for our food. I think it helps her remember that food grows in the earth and doesn’t just come from the grocery store!
Love this! And I love my herbs too
Ever watch Remy cook in Ratatouille? That’s right, use your nose!
I shouldn’t admit it, but despite loving that movie, I still (with three kids!) don’t own it. For SHAME! Perhaps for Christmas Santa will bring it!
A home isn’t home to me unless I have my herbs growing. I love being able to walk outside and snip away!
The only warning I tell people is anything of the mint family, grow in containers – it can go invasive easily.
Too true! It does make a home – and some days it’s the only time I make it outside! As for mint, I’ve seen mint jump it’s pots, so there is nowhere safe. Our neighbor has a huge patch, so mostly we just use his and save ourselves the grief of ripping it out.
I’m so so jealous of your herbs that I may have to come up to steal Kale and herbs. I will trade you for some goodies of course! That potato salad looks fantastic.
Thanks for coming up and stealing some. We loved having you here, and Turbo asked when you were coming up again to play. Glad you are our friends!
They were fabulous. Bursting with way more flavor than the store bought fresh herbs!
Tell Turbo we’ll feed the ducks next time!
Every bit as grateful for you too.
Fresh herbs make such a huge difference. Good post!
Thanks! Herbs make life smell better! I had my son and his friend smell the lavender the other day, just so they could have that experience (and maybe to calm them a bit too.)
One of the best things about summer: fresh, sun-warmed herbs from the garden!
Absolutely! Glad to see you back a bit, we missed you.
I’ve never successfully grown anything. Now that inlive in Arizona I think I’d have an even worse time trying. Im always tempted to but those little pots of herbs growing in the produce area. I figure since they are already alive I could use them once or twice before they die.
Arizona would be very tough. Start with mint in a pot (only in a pot) and keep it a little shady (front porch if you’re not south facing) and keep it watered and you might surprise yourself!
I’ll try it and let you know what happens.
this year , we planted a bunch of herbs in our tiny balcony and now some baked potatoes with mixed and matched herbs are a staple this summer! love your fresh potatoes!
That sounds amazing! We have a ton of russets too, so baking them (on the grill, of course, since I’m crazy like that) will have to happen tomorrow, I think! Doesn’t take much space for a lot of flavor, does it?
What a great post! You might like a cookbook I have called The Herbal Kitchen–although it sounds like you might not need any additional inspiration!
This year was the first year that I incorporated several herbs into my Garden and I am SO HAPPY I did, they are amazing and easy to grow!