The Spice of Life
Herbs are such a small part of what is grown at Elmwood Stock Farm, but
they’re an important part, too. Dozens of acres on the farm are dedicated to
growing vegetables and hundreds of acres to the livestock and hay. There’s
about ¾ acre planted in herbs, and these are mostly perennial herbs—those that
survive the winter and come back each year, without a lot of fuss. But what
would our vegetable, egg and meat offerings be if it weren’t for herbs and
seasonings to add to them in your favorite dish? While it’s not our farming
focus, we realize life can be pretty boring without herbs.
Herbs Every Year
Many herbs are native to the Mediterranean, which has a hot but dry
climate, so it seems strange that they would do so well in Kentucky,
considering our cold winters and humid summers. Sage, thyme and oregano are the
perennial herbs that you most often find in your CSA share—all Mediterranean.
Perennial herbs are hardy and usually have woody stems that allow them
to put up with whatever Mother Nature dishes out year after year, but in tough
winters, perennial herbs do struggle. Once these garden beauties are
established, they don’t require a lot of watering. In fact, they don’t want
much water at all, even when they are just starting out. “Wet feet” invites root-rot
and fungal issues that the plants can’t really come back from.
It may seem like we take our perennial plants for granted, assuming
they’ll just be here again next season, but we are glad they’re here and give
them the maintenance they need to keep going. They are one of the first crops
to be ready in the spring when our taste buds are appreciative of new, fresh
flavors after the long days of winter. Perennial herbs that aren’t mulched
require cultivation to keep down the weeds. We weed these using people power—a
walk-behind tractor, hand hoes and even some hand weeding. Herbs that are
mulched require less weeding, but we do need to make sure they receive enough
moisture during the hot days of summer.
These herbs are nice to have around, not just for our dining pleasure
but also for the insects’. Many perennials bloom in the spring or early summer,
offering a fragrant food source for pollinators.
One Year at a Time
The annual herbs need more attention than the perennials, which is
ironic since they’re around for such a shorter period of time. Sweet basil is
our most popular annual herb, which you’ve seen (and smelled) in your share
recently. It pairs nicely with tomatoes this time of the year.
Basil likes to be watered regularly—but not too much, otherwise the
plant gets stressed and the leaves turn yellow. Basil doesn’t like the cold,
otherwise the leaves turn black (which is why you can’t easily refrigerate this
herb). Basil also wants to go to seed if it’s not harvested regularly, and then
the taste changes.
If you grow basil at home, like many people do, you know that the more
you harvest from your plant, the more it will produce for you. You can harvest
as much as one-third of the plant at a time, in fact. As long as you’re cutting
just above a leaf pair, it’ll keep sending out more, creating a bush-like
plant. Basil loves attention, it seems, as is the case with many of the annual
herbs.
Give Them a Try
When herbs come in your share and you’re not quite sure what to do with
them, you have a few options:
* Freeze
them. Chop your herbs, sprinkle them into ice-cube trays about one-quarter
full, and fill the trays halfway with water. Remove the frozen cubes to a
plastic bag for storage.
* Make a
pesto. Pesto is not strictly a basil-and-pine-nut sauce. Use any herb or any
combination of herbs along with an oil, salt, and a nut or seed. You can even
use the leaf tops of your celery for a delicious pesto! Any type of cheese is
an option, too.
* Dry them.
Bundle and hang your herbs upside down away from direct sunlight for a few
weeks. You can also dry them in a dehydrator or 180-degree oven for a few
hours. Crumble the dry leaves into an airtight container, and use them all year
long.
* Make a
tea. This especially applies to sage, but thyme and oregano make nice teas, as
well. Boil water, remove it from the heat, add the herbs, and cover to steep
for one to 24 hours. These are refreshing when cold and nourishing when hot. If
you are pregnant, nursing or have medical issues, first read about the
potential effects of an herbal tea.
* Infuse
oil. Start with a bottle of nice olive oil, add sprigs of whatever herb you
choose, and let it sit for one or two weeks. Use this oil to impart a light
herb taste to your dishes.
While herbs are not the superstars of your CSA share, don’t let them
pass by without notice! They add a lot to the farm and to your meals. - Lisa Munniksma
In Your Share
Green Beans
Celery
Sweet Corn
Onions
Bell Pepper
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Garlic
Kale Greens
Recipes
Celery-Almond
Pesto, Abbey Steffen recipe
This pesto can be used much like a normal basil pesto. It is wonderful
tossed with pasta and topped with a grilled chicken breast.
4 cups fresh celery leaves
¼ cup raw, blanched almonds
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tsp. kosher salt
Combine all ingredients in a food processor, and blend until finely
chopped, almost a paste consistency. Toss the pesto with hot pasta or roasted
potatoes. It is even great as a spread on an egg salad sandwich.
Cheesy
Kale and Quinoa Casserole,
adapted from Oh My Veggies
1 T. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
½ c. chicken or vegetable broth
2 c. cooked quinoa
zest of 1 lemon
2 c. cooked cannellini beans
¾ c. plain Greek yogurt
2 c. shredded mild cheddar cheese, divided
salt
red pepper flakes
¼ c. raw walnut halves, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 3-quart baking dish, and
set aside.
Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add onion,
and cook until tender and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic,
and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add kale and broth. Cook, stirring
occasionally, for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the kale has wilted and broth has
evaporated. Remove from heat.
Add kale mixture to a large bowl, along with quinoa, lemon zest, beans,
yogurt and 1 cup of cheese. Mix until well combined. Season with salt and red
pepper flakes to taste.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with
remaining cheese and the walnuts.
Bake 10-13 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted.
Grilled
Heirloom Tomato and Pesto Pizza, adapted from Whole Foods Market recipe
1 lb. frozen whole wheat or white pizza dough, thawed
4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
8 T. prepared basil pesto or the
celery-almond pesto above!
1 lb. heirloom tomatoes, very thinly sliced
½ tsp. fine sea salt, divided
½ tsp. ground black pepper, divided
¾ c. crumbled goat cheese
Divide pizza
dough into 4 equal balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball out to a
rough circle about 9 inches in diameter; brush each side of the circles with
olive oil and place on baking sheets.
Prepare a grill for medium heat cooking. Working with one piece of dough at a time, place it on the grill rack and cook, rotating the crust frequently with tongs to help it cook evenly, until darkly browned on the bottom and air bubbles form on top, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer browned-side up to the baking sheet; spread the browned side with 2 tablespoons pesto. Top with a few slices tomato (don't cover the entire surface or the pizza will end up soggy), sprinkle the top with a teaspoon each salt and pepper, and dot with goat cheese. Slide or lift the pizza back onto the grill, close the grill cover and cook, rotating the pizza every now and then, until the bottom is deeply browned and the cheese begins to melt, about 3 minutes. Slide or lift the pizza back onto the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Prepare a grill for medium heat cooking. Working with one piece of dough at a time, place it on the grill rack and cook, rotating the crust frequently with tongs to help it cook evenly, until darkly browned on the bottom and air bubbles form on top, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer browned-side up to the baking sheet; spread the browned side with 2 tablespoons pesto. Top with a few slices tomato (don't cover the entire surface or the pizza will end up soggy), sprinkle the top with a teaspoon each salt and pepper, and dot with goat cheese. Slide or lift the pizza back onto the grill, close the grill cover and cook, rotating the pizza every now and then, until the bottom is deeply browned and the cheese begins to melt, about 3 minutes. Slide or lift the pizza back onto the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Balsamic
Grilled Baby Potatoes, adapted from allrecipes
Add whatever fresh herbs you have on hand to this recipe too!
2 lb. potatoes, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. olive oil
2 T. onion powder
salt & pepper
2 T. butter, cut into small chunks
Preheat grill for
medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
Place a 24-inch-long piece of aluminum foil on a flat work surface.
Spread potatoes onto the middle of the foil. Drizzle vinegar and olive oil over
the potatoes; season with onion powder, salt and pepper. Dot the top of the
potatoes with butter.
Bring opposing sides of the foil up and around the potatoes. Fold the
two edges together at the top to create a seam. Fold the remaining two edges to
seal the packet.
Cook packet with the seam-side up for about 10 minutes, turn and cook
another 10 minutes. Turn once again and continue cooking until a fork stuck
through the foil and into the potatoes meets no resistance, about 5 minutes
more.
