Herbs...

Ok, so this is one of the most amazing parts of cooking.  Herbs can totally change the flavor of a dish and take it to a whole new level.  Here I am going to let you in on a few secrets.  This seriously can do great things and make people wonder how you got such complexity.

Where should we start?  Lets start with the herbs you probably first thought of... the dried ones in your cabinet.  What can we do with these?  My thought is these are made so kids have something to experiment smoking.  Seriously that is about all they are good for.  Oh and getting stuff caught in your teeth.  I shouldn't say that there are a few decent uses, but not many.  So lets forget about that.  One note... get a coffee grinder for those things.  To make rosemary salt just add dried rosemary and salt.  Sprinkle that on a some bread with some olive oil and you are happy!  Know that bread those thin bread things at Brio?  Yep rosemary.  AWESOME!

Ok so we have learned those things in the bottle are what?  Right for kids to smoke not to cook with.  Just kidding... kind of.

Fresh herbs is where it is at.  A great chef I used to work with once told me that your taste buds are at the height of sensitivity early in the morning.  Since I was usually cooking by 5AM I had plenty of chances to get to know these herbs.  That said we are going to go through fresh herbs here and forget about that dried stuff.

Lets start with the easiest and cheapest.  Parsley.  Curly parsley or flat leaf Italian parsley?  Don't kid yourself curly is up with those ones out of the bottle.  Flat leaf Italian parsley is what you want.  If you just get a bunch and take the leaves off and add it to a salad or something that is awesome!  You can do a chiffonade as well.  You can add that to sauces, roasted vegetables heck just about anything.  It adds freshness and depth.  You thought I was just going to throw out the word chiffonade and not explain.  Basically it means ribbons.  With a sharp knife just go through the parsley one time making thin ribbons of it.  If you want it smaller then do that the other way.  Easy enough?  You should use a sharp knife because you want to cut it and not pound it.  This herb should be in your fridge all the time.  Wrap in a damp paper towel to keep fresh.  Next time you make roasted redskin potatoes toss them with some parsley, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, good olive oil and tell me they aren't the best you ever had.

Next up is basil.  This might continue to be my favorite.  It is just so good.  It gives a little bitterness, a little bite, and again freshness.  It goes great with parsley to make an herb rub with butter to put on chicken for the grill.  We make homemade pizzas with fresh mozz and homegrown tomatoes and top it with basically a salad of basil.  You can also add it to a salad for a little something extra.  One thing to keep in mind is that basil is not a fan of heat.  So when you add it to a sauce or something put it in at the end.  To prepare basil stack the leaves, then roll them and then slice.  It will make little ribbons and bang you have a chiffonade of basil.  Delicious.  Basil the sky is the limit.  It really likes tomatoes, olive oil, fresh ground pepper, lemon, and is actually pretty tasty on some sorbets.

Oregano and marjoram are pretty good, but not as easily used.  This stuff is a little more potent, but it adds such great flavor.  This is where you really get into depth.  Making an herb rub with a little of this stuff is amazing.  The thing is people put a little of herbs on say a piece of chicken.  When I say a rub I mean get it on there.  Make sure that thing is pretty green.  I am looking for 30-40% coverage!  Oregano is what I use more often, but it is great in sauces and can take the heat a little more than basil and parsley.     You should definitely play with this stuff, but don't go overboard.

Rosemary is the king.  This stuff takes over and you better want it.  When you toss parsley with some potatoes they are still roasted potatoes, but with rosemary they are now rosemary roasted potatoes.  This is an unmistakable flavor that can sometimes remind you of pine.  It is amazing stuff.  Meat loves rosemary.  Roast beef is kind of boring and totally 1960's, but coat it in rosemary, fresh ground pepper and kosher salt and you will have something much more.  Now you have heard me say just chop it and serve it, but this stuff you are going to want to chop a little more.

Thyme is awesome.  This stuff is a little different and adds another very distinctive taste.  It really likes to hang with rosemary, but it definitely is its own person.  Thyme loves lemon and olive oil.  It works really well in herb rubs.  A good rule is like 1/3 parsley, 1/3 basil, and 1/3 other for those rubs.  Don't do too many herbs at once though.  It is like throwing every instrument in at once at a concert or tossing in every color just because in a painting.  Treat it with respect and let each have their own identity.  Thyme also loves honey and lime.  Think of thyme when making dressings and don't worry we will get to dressings sometime.

To finish out Simon and Garfunkel's line is sage (you know Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme... yeah I know I didn't go in order).  This stuff is very good, but not as versatile.  What does it love?  Poultry and mushrooms.  Possibly the greatest meal of my life was in NYC and I got mushroom ravioli with a sage butter sauce.  OH MY!  Just get some butter going toss in some whole sage leaves let it go a minute or two and shut off.  Toss in some rav and you are golden.  When I think of sage I think of stuffing at Thanksgiving.  That said it loves turkey and chicken.  Chicken, proscuitto and sage? Amazing.  This herb is really the most underrated.

Mint is crazy.  This stuff can totally change things.  I almost don't want to tell about this, but if you read this far you deserve a secret.  This stuff can sneak into a dish and totally take you by surprise.  Some not so unique uses are tossing a chiffonade into some melons for a great salad.  Want to spice up some tuna?  Add this into the mix.  Toss it into a salad, but be careful this does not always work.  Be sure to test it out first.  One thing we have been loving is in our green iced tea with lime.  So good in the summer.  Mint is really interesting and should not just be used to garnish a stupid desert.

That takes us to the end.  There are so many more, but that is a good start.  Just remember to always use fresh.  Don't mix too many.  Eat them alone to really understand it.  A really cool thing is to do a wine and herb party.  Herbs are just as complex as cheese and wines and should be treated that way.

Happy herbing and remember to be creative.  Need some ideas or help just let me know.

Heirloom Tomatoes and Fennel with Whole Wheat Pasta

I got some over ripe tomatoes from my co-op, so I figured lets cook them if I can't eat them.  GOOD CALL!

I first got some water on to boil and then went to prep...

• 3-4 heirloom tomatoes diced - doesn't matter how just take the core out of the top and chop them up (no heirloom? just get some good tomatoes and you are still good to go) - my suggestion is to cut them in half then place on the flat side and slice three times... then turn and slice six times... done
• One half onion diced - so just like the tomato cut the onion in half put half on the board and half in the fridge for next meal - put the flat side down and cut four times, slice so you make four rainbows... hopefully that makes sense - then turn and cut the other way in about 3/4 inch cuts - TIP if you take the knife at an angle and work your way around the onion it works best - so start cutting at three o'clock and work your way around until nine - if this doesn't make sense I will try to add a video or picture sometime soon - this works great with all kinds of things... ok back to the meal
• Dice however you want the fennel - you can leave this out, but it is awesome! - You want to get the frills off the top and cut the core out of the bottom - then just try to make sticks and then squares out of the fennel -

Prep is done.

Water was probably boiling half way through so you want to add salt and oil - (Oil helps it to not go crazy and flow over making a mess... it's a starch thing) (Salt is to make your pasta taste good - you wouldn't eat chips unseasoned right?  Then why eat pasta not seasoned.)  Put the pasta in and stir.  You probably need 1.5 cups of pasta and like 5 cups of water in a pan that fits 8-10 cups.  Why skimp on the size of pan it just makes for a mess.  Cook until al-dente... when?  Take a piece out is it crunchy?  Then keep cooking.  Is it a little soft, but not quite all the way?  Then you are good to go!  Strain and now use the pan again...  WHY?  Why the heck not.  We are trying to save time right?

Ok so now we are cooking.  Rinse the pan a little if you want.  Then back on the stove to get hot.  Once hot put in olive oil and then onions and salt.  Why salt?  It brings out the liquid in the onions just like it dehydrates us.  Let them get going until they start to brown up... that is the sweet stuff there.  Now I said brown not black right?  Ok remember that it is a fine line.  Then add in the fennel and cook for a few minutes.  Then toss in the tomatoes.  All of a sudden you look over and have sauce.  WOW!

Now let that go for awhile.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Now when I say taste I mean just that.  Grab a spoon and see if it is good.  If you don't say ewe that is salty or you aren't like dang that is good you need more.  Ok now add the pasta and let that cook for awhile.  Here is the trick.  Your sauce was real watery right?  And your pasta wasn't quite done right?  Ok put it together... and there is your ah ha moment.  Your pasta is going to absorb your awesome sauce.  

Now you are done.  Serve it and enjoy.   What else can you do?  Add some fresh basil is awesome!  Tonight I served it with a spoon and before just shoving the spoon in I grabbed a spoonful of Marscarpone (Italian cream cheese).  Adds some delicious creaminess to the dish.  Top it with some good parmesan and you are golden.  If you get some nice Italian sausages with fennel it will be a great compliment or eat it just the way you made it.  

I hope you learned a thing or two along with finding a great recipe.  My goal is to always teach you one thing, but let you apply it to a number of different things.  Happy cooking!