Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Using fresh herbs — Neuse News (2024)

Using Fresh Herbs

Make the most of those fresh garden herbs this summer with some of these delicious recipes. Hope you will enjoy!

Green Goddess Hummus

For the hummus:

115-ouncecan chickpeas,also called garbanzo beans, undrained

2mediumcloves garlic,peeled

1mediumjalapeño,seeds and ribs removed, roughly chopped

1cupfresh basil leaves,tightly packed

½cupfresh cilantro leaves and tender stems,tightly packed

¼cupfresh parsley leaves,tightly packed

2tablespoonsfresh chives,roughly chopped

3tablespoonsfresh lemon juice,(1 juicy lemon will yield 3 tablespoons)

2tablespoonsneutral flavored oil,not olive oil

¼cupice water,more when blending

½teaspoonskosher salt,I use Morton

3tablespoonstahini

For serving:

Extra virgin olive oil,for drizzling

Fresh ground black pepper

For the hummus, combine undrained chickpeas and peeled, whole garlic cloves in a medium microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave on high power for 6-7 minutes until garlic and chickpeas are soft. Drain then set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

After the chickpeas have cooled, combine the jalapeño, basil, cilantro, parsley, chives, mint, (if using), lemon juice, oil and water in the bowl of a food processor or high-powered blender. Blend on high power for 1-2 minutes until very smooth. If you have to add a bit more ice water to get things going, it’s fine.

Add the tahini, cooled chickpeas and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Blend again for 2-3 minutes, adding extra ice water, as needed, in 1 tablespoon increments until a thick, smooth, creamy texture is achieved.

Taste and add more salt or lemon juice.For serving, serve drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and fresh ground black pepper. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keeps well for 3-4 days. Yields 40 servings, 23 calories per serving.

Easy Rosemary Shortbread

1cupvery soft butter

⅔cupgranulated sugar

2teaspoonshoney

½teaspoonvanilla extract

2cupsall-purpose flour

1tablespoonfinely chopped fresh rosemary

1teaspoonkosher salt

1-2tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease (I use baking spray) and then line an 8 or 9-inch cake pan (round or square) or a tart pan (10 or 11 inches) with a removable bottom with parchment paper. (See Café Tips above in post regarding size of the pan.) Set aside.

Combine soft butter, sugar, honey and vanilla in a medium-large bowl. Stir for about 30 seconds until nice and creamy.

Add the flour, rosemary and salt. Stir just until all of the flour is incorporated. The dough will be crumbly.

Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan to create an even surface. Be sure there are no loose crumbs around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with the sugar.

Bake for 35-45 minutes then remove from oven. (The smaller your pan is, the thicker your shortbread will be and the longer it will take to bake. Check frequently towards end of baking time. You want it to be a pretty, deep golden brown.)

Invert shortbread onto a flat plate. Place another plate on top and invert again so the sugared side is up.

Slide the shortbread onto a cutting board and sprinkle with a bit more sugar, if desired. Cut it into wedges (or rectangles or squares if using a square pan). Transfer pieces to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

If you prefer your shortbread even crisper, place the cut pieces on a sheet pan and return to the oven for 5 minutes then cool on a wire rack.

Garnish when serving with a bit of finely chopped fresh rosemary, if desired. Serves 12, each serving contains 259 calories.

Italian Style Blackberry and Lemon Basil Gelato

3 cups milk

1 ½ cup lemon basil leaves, packed

1 teaspoon lemon juice

5 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 pinch of salt

1 quart fresh Blackberries

Measure milk into heavy bottomed sauce pan. Bruise and crush 1 cup of lemon basil leaves and add to pot.

Heat milk and basil leaves on medium low to medium high heat and bring to a soft boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove pot from heat and allow to slightly cool.

While milk is cooling place in a large bowl the egg yolks, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Whisk together until the yolks become a light creamyyellow. Strain milk and discard lemon basil leaves.

Temper yolk mixture and warm milk by slowly whisking about ⅓ of a cup of the hot milk into the egg yolks. Slowly pour the remaining milk into the bowl of the tempered egg yolks and whisk until milk and egg mixtures are combined. Pour yolk and milk mixture back into the pot.

Bring your custard mixture to a soft boil, stirring constantly on medium heat. Cook until thickened, custard is done when a trail can be seen on the back of a spoon when you run your finger through the custard. Strain custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl and place into the refrigerator to completely cool, about 1 hour.

Pulse blackberries, lemon juice and the reserved ½ cup of lemon basil leaves in a blender until berry pulp is smooth. Pour berry pulp through a fine mesh strainer placed over a bowl. Set aside and let the juice from the berries drain from the pulp while custard cools.

Remove custard from the refrigerator and stir in the blackberry juice, add in about a teaspoon of pulp if you would like some seeds in your gelato or leave the seeds out if you prefer. Process in an ice cream maker as directed by manufacturer.

Serve immediately or scoop gelato into an airtight container and freeze.

Steak with Spicy Thai Sauce

4 T-bone steaks, about 350 g each, at room temperature

1/4 tsp salt

2 garlic cloves

2 serrano chilies, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup lime juice

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

Preheat grill to medium-high. Sprinkle both sides of steaks with salt. Season with fresh pepper.

Process garlic and chilies in a food processor until finely chopped. Add lime juice,fish sauce, sugar, cilantro and mint. Whirl untilfinely chopped. Scrape intoa small bowl. Set aside.

Oil the grill. Barbecue steaks, lid open, 5 to 6 min per side for medium-rare, if steak is1 in. thick. Transfer steaks to a cutting board. Let stand 5 min, then slice into thin strips. Serve drizzled with cilantro sauce and sprinkled with more mint, if desired.

Herb Pesto

¼cshelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

5clovesroasted garlic

1cupfresh basil leavespacked

½cupfresh chiveslemon juice

¼cupParmesan cheese

Salt to taste

⅓cupolive oil

In a food processor with a steel blade, pulse the pumpkin seeds and roasted garlic until coarsely chopped.

Add the herbs, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt to taste (I typically use about ¼-⅓ tsp) and pulse until combined.

Lastly, add the olive oil and pulse finely chopped. For a smoother pesto, either blend for longer or add a little more oil.

Herb Salad Dressing

1/2cupmixed herbs

3tablespoonsolive oil

3tablespoonsplain yogurt

2tablespoonslemon juice

1/4teaspoonsgarlic powder

1/8teaspoonskosher salt

Dash black pepper

Process all ingredients into a blender and refrigerate, until ready to enjoy

Homemade Basil Pesto

3 cups fresh basil leaves, slightly packed

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

Add the basil leaves, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, lemon zest, pine nuts, and lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Blend continuously until the ingredients start to breakdown. If you prefer a coarser pesto, use the pulse setting. Stream in the olive oil and allow the ingredients to emulsify with the oil. You want to continue processing until the oil is combined with the basil and your other ingredients. Taste the pesto, add additional garlic or parmesan to preference.

Oregano Pesto Pasta

For the Pesto

1cupfresh oreganoleaves, no stems

1/4cuppine nuts

2clovesgarlicroughly chopped

1/2cupparmesan cheesegrated

1tbsplemon juicefrom half a lemon

1/3cupolive oil

1/4tspsaltor to taste

1/4tsppepperor to taste

For the Pasta

Pasta, your choice, I like wheat orzo

Cherry tomatoescut in half, optional

Parmesan cheeseshredded, optional

For the pesto, add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor.

Pulse to blend the ingredients. You can blend until completely smooth, or leave a bit of texture in the pesto to your preference.

For the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Combine cooked pasta, oregano pesto, and a splash of pasta water in a skillet and cook on medium-high heat until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.

Add more pasta water as needed. Toss the cherry tomatoes into the skillet for the last minute of cooking. Top with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

**You can use this recipe for any fresh herbs you have, including combinations of those herbs, as long as they add up to 1 cup in total.