Herbs | Main Street Farms

Sage

July 13, 2017Holly RodricksBlog Post, Fall Foods, Summer Foods, Vegetable Guide, Winter FoodsNo CommentsDried Sage, Herbs, Sage

Sage is an herb that comes from a perennial, evergreen shrub with a long history of medicinal and culinary uses. From the mint family, common sage has woody stems, and velvety greyish-green leaves. Savory and peppery, this herb originated in the Mediterranean and Balkan regions. Sage is known for its naturally antiseptic, preserving, and bacteria-killing qualities in meat. Its leaves, when steeped in hot water to make a tea, have also been said to ease depression. Storage Tips Storing Fresh Sage: Sage can be wrapped in a paper towel and stored inside a loosely closed ziplock bag, where it will remain fresh for several days. Do not wash it before storing. The added moisture will cause it to spoil more rapidly. Drying Sage: After washing and drying your sage completely, tie several woody stems of sage leaves together into a bundle using string or a rubber band. (Keep the bundles relatively small and they will dry faster.) Hang them in a cabinet, closet, or other relatively warm, dark, dry place for approximately two weeks. An easy hanging trick is to open up a jumbo paper clip into an "S" shape, hook one side through the rubber band, and use the other to hang. If you are in a more humid area, cut slits in the sides of a brown paper bag. Place the entire cluster of stems inside a brown paper bag, leaves first, and secure the bag around the stems with a rubber band. Proceed to hang the bundle as described above for 2 weeks or until the sage is completely dried. The paper bag will prevent the leaves from becoming moldy as a result of excess moisture in the air, so that they dry well. Once dried, remove the sage leaves off the stems. Discard the stems and collect the leaves into a pile. Rub them together between your fingers and hands until they begin to break down. They will not crumble like other, more delicate dried herbs, but will, instead, eventually turn into a pillowy mass that loosely holds together. Store this in an airtight, glass container in a dark area of your kitchen, such as inside a cabinet. Quick Prep TipsSage has a savory and slightly peppery flavor that wonderfully compliments fatty meats, dairy, and roasted winter vegetables. It can be used fresh with no more than a rinse or dried and used throughout the year. Further Prep Tips Sage Preparation: Sage loves fats. It pairs incredibly with pork chops, sausage, poultry, and dairy, just to name a few categories, and it can be used fresh as a seasoning in your cooked meals or dried for later use. To clean sage, rinse gently under running water. Separate the leaves from the stem and pat them dry with a towel. They can then be tossed whole into recipes or chopped, based on preference. Fresh sage actually has a milder flavor than dried sage. If you're cooking with it, add it to the pan right towards the end, rather than early on, so it doesn't get lost in the rest of the ingredients. Recipes Vegetable Niçoise Salad with Dijon Dressing and Eggs June 19, 2017info@mainstreetfarms.com Picnic Beets with Baguette and Creamy Cheese July 5, 2017info@mainstreetfarms.com Mexican Style Chopped Salad July 5, 2017info@mainstreetfarms.com

Pasta with Warmed Garlic & Chive Chèvre

February 16, 2017Holly RodricksBuy Local, Eat Local, Fall Foods, Farmer Focus, Recipes, Spring Foods, Summer Food, Winter FoodsNo Comments2 Kids Goat Farm, Amy Sperat, Chevre, Dried Herbs, Fresh Herbs, Garlic & Chive Chevre, Goat Cheese, Herbs, Mushrooms, Pasta, Spinach, Vegetarian

This simple and delicious recipe comes directly from Amy Sperat of 2 Kids Goat Farm. She loves both how easy it is to make and how much flavor it packs in one dish. While the base is simply freshly cooked and drained pasta and goat cheese, get creative and add in other ingredients you enjoy, such as mushrooms, spinach, sun-riped tomatoes, etc., and any variety of herbs. Pictured below is a version with Flour City Pasta‘s traditional Trecce, Heller’s Farm organic Baby Bella Mushrooms, our own freshly minced Garlic and fresh Spinach, and 2 Kids’ Garlic & Chive Chèvre. Let’s just say I’ve already cooked this twice this week because once, clearly, wasn’t enough! It’s one of the easiest & most delicious meals I’ve cooked in a while–a hard combination to find when you’ve got a tight schedule in which to cook dinner! Pasta with Warmed Garlic & Chive Chèvre By Amy Sperat of 2 Kids Goat Farm Makes 4-6 servings. Ingredients: 1 lb. Pasta of choice 4 oz. 2 Kids Goat Farm Garlic & Chive Chèvre (Goat Cheese) Olive Oil, fresh or dried Herbs, Salt, and Pepper to taste Instructions: Cook Pasta according to package instructions. Once done, drain Pasta and return to pot. Drizzle with Olive Oil, sprinkle generously with crumbled Chèvre, Herbs, Salt, and Pepper to taste. Toss together to evenly distribute, and cover pot for 5 minutes. Serve hot! *Image courtesy of https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b2/25/e7/b225e7c36b77b77cccb165bbde9595b8.jpg.

curried-vegetable-stew-cooking-on-the-weekends-eating-rules

Curry Stew

September 12, 2016Bob CatFall Foods, RecipesNo CommentsBob Cat, Cabbage, Carrots, Curry Powder, Curry Stew, Garlic, Ginger, Gluten Free, Herbs, Jalapeños, Kale, Onions, Peppers, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Vegan, Vegetarian

“Curry Stew” can be made to fit your tastes by adding or removing vegetables to give it the flavor you want. This recipe will complement just about any veggie! Curry Stew By Bob Cat Ingredients: Potatoes Olive Oil Garlic, minced Ginger, minced Onions, diced Tomatoes, diced Carrots, sliced Peppers, diced Cabbage, shredded Kale, torn into small chunks Jalapeños, diced Curry Powder Cumin Turmeric Herbs of Choice Salt and Pepper to taste Instructions: Boil Potatoes in a large pot until fork tender. Drain and cut up into large cubes. Heat Olive Oil in stock pot. Sauté Garlic and Onions until translucent. Add Ginger, Tomatoes, Carrots, Peppers, Cabbage, Kale, Jalapeños, and Potatoes. Season with Curry Powder, Cumin, Turmeric, Herbs, Salt and Pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook until vegetables are tender. *Image courtesy of: https://eatingrules.com/curried-vegetable-stew/.

Grilled Zuke and Herby Quinoa

July 18, 2016Holly RodricksRecipes, Summer FoodsNo CommentsBasil, Chard Stems, Chef Abigail Henson, Dill, Feta, Gluten Free, Herbs, Kalamata Olives, Lemon, Lofo, Mint, Parsley, Quinoa, Rainbow Chard, Rainbow Chard Stems, Sage, Squash, Stuffed Zucchini, Vegan, Vegetarian, Zucchini

‘Tis the season when zucchini grows giant overnight. This recipe is quick and easy, perfect for a family or easily increased for a large group gathering. Grilled Zuke & Herby Quinoa by Abigail Henson, Founder of LoFo* Makes 6 servings. Ingredients: 1 large Zucchini 6 Rainbow Chard Stems 1 cup Quinoa, uncooked 1/4 cup White Vinegar 2 tbsp. Sugar 1 tbsp. Kosher Salt 1/2 cup Crumbled Feta (Omit this step for a 100% vegan recipe!) 1/2 cup Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped 1 handful of your choice of Fresh Herbs (I like mine chock-full of Basil, Mint, Parsley, Dill, & Sage.) Salt and Pepper to taste 1 Lemon, juiced Instructions: STEP ONE: Quick-pickle your Chard stems. It is absolutely tragic when I see someone toss the stems of a rainbow chard- they are so crisp and delicious, and the splash of color they add to any dish is worth keeping them around. This is an easy way to jazz them up. They will start to take the brine in within 30 minutes, for a quick-pickle fix. Chop at the nape of the leaf of 6 Rainbow Chard leaves, trimming the ragged edges where they were connected to the main plant. Slice each stem 2-3 times length-wise, and then cut across the width by the ¼ inch to make tiny cubes. In a small bowl, mix Vinegar, Salt, and Sugar and stir. Place Chard cubes in the brine and let rest. STEP TWO: Cook your Quinoa. I like to cook a big batch of quinoa at the beginning of the week so that I can speckle it into my meals throughout the weekdays without much hassle. Place Quinoa in a large bowl and submerge it in water, gently swirling it around. Strain in a fine mesh strainer and add to a medium pot. Add 2 cups of Water and a teaspoon of Salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover pot, reduce heat, and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let let rest for 5 minutes before removing the cover to fluff. STEP THREE: Grill your Zuke. While your Quinoa is cooking, slice your Zucchini into 4 sections, then cut each section in half. Each section will act as one serving. Rub Zucchini with Olive Oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and put seed side down on grill. Cover grill and let cook for 10-15 minutes, until char lines have appear and pieces are fork-tender. Remove from grill and allow to cool slightly. STEP FOUR: Fill your Zuke. Taking the spoon down the center of the Zucchini gently remove the seeds and transfer them into a sauté pan. Combine cooked Quinoa and chopped Herbs. Add a drizzle of Olive Oil and Lemon Juice to the quinoa mixture. On medium heat, lightly toss all ingredients in pan. Transfer filling from pan into Zucchini boats. Top with chopped Kalamata Olives and crumbled Feta Cheese. Strain Rainbow Chard stems from the pickling liquid and sprinkle over Zucchini boats like it’s party time! Give thanks to the beautiful bounty you are about to receive, go forth, and eat local! *ABIGAIL HENSON is the Founder of LoFo, a company that specializes in conscious cuisine and provides catering, events, and education.

How to Use Sage

July 12, 2016Holly RodricksFall Foods, Kitchen Tips, Summer FoodsNo CommentsFresh Herbs, Herbs, Sage

When I was a child, I used to play in my mom’s herb garden in the backyard, pinching the leaves and rubbing them between my fingers, sniffing them gleefully. Even though I had no idea how to use them, the smells were heavenly. I loved them all, but sage was always my favorite, with its soft green hue and big velvety leaves concealing a powerful aroma. Sage is from the mint family, but in flavor, it’s more like rosemary, with a hint of pepper. It pairs wonderfully with rich foods, which is why we use it liberally in all our Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing dinners. But sage isn’t only for special occasions. Chop it up and sprinkle it over potatoes roasted in the oven. Season grilled chicken or pan-seared pork chops with it. Toss it in with freshly cooked pasta. The trick is to use just enough of the herb to complement your dish. Too much and it will hog the spotlight. In a great little article called “Sage – Off the Beaten Aisle,” J.M. Hirsch, food editor at the Associated Press, offers a variety of ways to incorporate sage into meals, based on common cuisines throughout Europe. Hopefully, his ideas will inspire you to be more adventurous with sage! *Photo courtesy of: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266480.php

What To Do With Fresh Herbs

July 12, 2016Holly RodricksKitchen Tips, Summer FoodsNo CommentsDill, Finger Lakes Lavender Festival, Herbs, Lavender, Lockwood Lavender Farm, Marjoram, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme

Last weekend, I visited Lockwood Lavender Farm during the Finger Lakes Lavender Festival and left with several fresh bouquets to dry at home. I arranged them into bundles, rubber-banded the stems, hooked jumbo paperclips through the rubber bands, and hung them off the utility shelf in my kitchen closet. Who knew you could do so much with a paperclip and a rubber band? Don’t fret! Such fun isn’t only reserved for lavender. Below are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way to stretch as much use as possible out of those big, beautiful bunches of herbs that come home with us from the farm. Treat fresh herbs like flowers. No, this is not a joke. You will routinely find vases of herbs around my little home in the summertime, and they make quite a fine substitution. All you need to do is collect the herbs into a little bundle, removing any leaves that would rest beneath the water. Trim the stems, and place your lovely arrangement in a vase. Place in a well-lit area at room temperature, and enjoy the lovely scents. Change the water regularly, continuing to trim the ends as needed and removing any soggy leaves that have crept under the water line. I’ve kept bunches of oregano fresh for cooking this way for three weeks! Wrap herbs in paper towels inside a sealed zip-lock bag, and store in the fridge. This approach is pretty straightforward. As long as the herbs are in a nice, moist, cool environment, they have quite a bit of longevity – up to 2 weeks! If you’re not a fan of herbal bouquets, this might be a better approach for you. Dry herbs for use all year long. It’s amazing how much money we spend on those little bottles of dried herbs when home-preserving is so remarkably easy. If you purchase a bundle of herbs so big that you couldn’t possibly consume it in a few weeks’ time, separate a portion. Rinse the leaves and allow them to air-dry on a clean towel. Collect all the stems into a bunch. For herbs with woodier stems, secure them with a rubber band. For more delicate stems, secure with string or dental floss. Then, hang that little bundle upside down in a dark area, like a closet, that isn’t too humid. (No basements for this kitchen experiment.) Herbs usually take approximately 2 weeks to dry, sometimes longer. You’ll know they’re done when they crumble at the touch. At this point, you can either crumble the leaves off the stems and store them in an airtight jar as is or use a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle for smaller, more even pieces.

Tag: Herbs