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Oct 16, 2023

Eat Well & Share: Fresh herbs make every recipe more vibrant

From left: Fresh Basil Gnocchi Salad with Peas; Bruschetta with Green Olive

From left: Fresh Basil Gnocchi Salad with Peas; Bruschetta with Green Olive Tapenade, Burrata and Prosciutto; and Chilled Artichokes with Herbed Aioli.

Sally Beck

Now that the growing season is underway, fresh herbs are abundant and readily available, and can make every recipe more vibrant. A simple soup is elevated by a handful of herbs and a splash of lemon. Butter becomes a much more interesting spread with the addition of chopped fresh herbs such as basil or rosemary. A quick family-favorite brunch recipe in my household is to add about a quarter cup of chopped fresh tarragon and four ounces of cream cheese to scrambled eggs with a little salt and pepper for a creamy, elegant variation.

If you have an overabundance of herbs, a nice way to store your herbs for later is by putting them into ice cube trays, covering them with olive oil, and then freezing; just pop them out of the tray and keep them in a freezer-safe bag or container to have them on hand to add to your favorite recipes. Toward the end of the season, I also make a big batch of pesto and freeze it this way, which allows me to enjoy the taste of spring all year long. You can also hang your herbs (such as thyme or oregano) to dry and then store the dried leaves in spice jars.

Herbs are also chock-full of polyphenols, which means that they have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties so you can enjoy the extra bonus of doing something good for yourself while enjoying great food. While our focus in this column is mostly on the taste of food rather than health, it's still nice to know that even something as simple as using fresh herbs can be a boon to the nutritional impact that our food has. For just a few examples, in the recipes that follow, tarragon is a natural diuretic and can help reduce water retention; Italian parsley is rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants; and basil may help to reduce both blood pressure and blood sugar, although they all have many additional healthful properties beyond just these few.

Chilled Artichokes with Herbed Aioli

(Serves 4)

4 artichokes:

Using a serrated knife, cut the top third off of each artichoke and cut off the stem. Using kitchen scissors, trim the top part of each remaining leaf. In a large pot, cover the artichokes with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the heart is tender enough to be pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes or so, depending on the size of your artichokes. Drain upside down in a colander for a few minutes and then chill. You can certainly serve the artichokes hot if you prefer, but chilled is nice in the summer months.

Herbed Aioli:

2 cloves garlic

1-2 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp white pepper

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 ½ cups olive oil

1/3 cup fresh tarragon, chives, and/or parsley, being careful to remove the stems

Combine the garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice in a food processor until smooth. With the processor running, add the eggs and blend well. Also while running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Add the chopped herbs, pulse a couple of times to blend and serve.

Chilled artichokes make a great picnic lunch as well, and if you’re not in the mood to make the aioli, a simple vinaigrette, some lemon butter, or even just a dollop of mayonnaise would make a great accompaniment.

Bruschetta with Green Olive Tapenade, Burrata and Prosciutto

(Serves 4-6)

Green Olive Tapenade:

2 cups green olives

1 Tb capers

1 clove garlic

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup Italian parsley

½ tsp red chili flakes

juice of 1 lemon

1 can anchovies, drained

In a food processor, lightly pulse the ingredients together until they are combined but still nicely chunky.

Green Olive Tapenade

Bruschetta:

1 baguette; should yield 10-12 slices

Garlic cloves for rubbing

3 fresh medium-sized tomatoes, diced

2 balls of Burrata cheese, sliced to fit your toasts

Prosciutto, enough for 1 slice per toast

Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

First, put your diced tomatoes in a colander and lightly salt them. Let them drain while you prepare your other ingredients.

Slice the baguette on the diagonal. Toast the baguette slices; I put mine on a cookie sheet under the broiler for a couple of minutes until they are toasted. Next, brush one side of each slice with olive oil and rub with a garlic clove.

In a bowl, toss the diced tomatoes with a drizzle each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste (keeping in mind that you’ve already salted them once).

Spread a layer of tapenade onto each toast. Next layer the prosciutto, the burrata, and finally the tomatoes. Drizzle a little balsamic over the top and serve.

Fresh Basil Gnocchi Salad with Peas

(Serves 4)

Salad:

In this salad, the basil leaves are left whole and treated as a salad green.

2 cups fresh basil leaves, removed from the main stem.

1 lb Gnocchi, cooked according to package directions, drained, and then pan-fried in a skillet in olive oil over medium heat for about seven minutes, stirring occasionally, until they get lightly golden. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

2 cups cooked peas, preferably fresh, but frozen work well too

¾ cup sundried tomatoes, slivered

Shaved asiago, about ¼ cup (can use shaved parmesan or romano instead)

Salad dressing:

1 garlic clove, crushed

juice of 1 ½ lemons

lemon zest

½ cup olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Whisk the salad dressing ingredients together.

In a bowl, toss the dressing together with the other salad ingredients and serve.

***

The arrival of summer brings not only fresh herbs but the annual Helena Food Share Summer Lot Party, and you are invited! Join us this Friday, June 9, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. We’ll be celebrating our customers with kid-friendly games and treats, information booths and Tour Train rides. It's a great way to visit with our friends and neighbors and to see what's happening down at the Pantry. We hope to see you there!

Our Mission at Helena Food Share: Serving our neighbors in need by providing food in a respectful and dignified way and by working with others to eliminate hunger in the greater Helena area.

If you are in need of food and would like more information, if you would like to make a donation, or if you would like to learn more about how you can help build our new Community Food Resource Center, contact Helena Food Share at: 406-443-3663, or visit our website at www.helenafoodshare.org.

Sally Beck works at Helena Food Share where she is a regular chef demonstrating new recipes on their Charlie Cart mobile kitchen. She is a food enthusiast, professional baker, and has owned her own restaurant.

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