it's the balm!

Hydrangea in bloom to decorate the table, radishes harvested to decorate the salad.

Outdoor dining is here at last. The balmy late days of spring are perfect for enjoying  extended sunlight and the profusion of leafy enticements.

Tender greens are now readily available - I can plunder my own garden for new growth and actually begin to put a meal together from some humble backyard plants.

Garden pesto is a versatile use of just about any edible leafy green and tender herb.

My patch of backyard lemon balm is huge this year. It grows easily and spreads where ever it has a place to go. By mid-summer the leaves are spotty and crisp, not very appetizing, but right now the plant is ever so delectable! I tuck a sprig or two into my iced tea and tear up the smallest leaves to go into salads.  It had never occurred to me to use lemon balm as the base of a pesto, but with the profusion of growth and my basil still barely inches high I decide to give lemon balm a spin in the food processor to see how it would come out.

To add a little dimension to the pesto I included some chives, sorrel, mint and oregano, seeking out the smallest and softest leaves I could harvest. The pesto was so good! I half expected the lemon balm to taste soapy or too perfumey but the young leaves gave a pleasant green bite with the barest hint of lemon.

Night one, I mixed the pesto with spaghetti and roasted peppers. It looked so pretty and tasted great! Night two, I made it for friends and served it over Israeli couscous, adding some grilled vegetables. The two pickiest eaters at the table both announced it "really good" so please don't share this recipe with them because if they knew what was in it (green stuff and cheese) they would never have tried it in the first place.



recipe:

Garden Pesto with Israeli Couscous & Grilled Vegetables

For the pesto:
2 cups of fresh herbs or leafy greens-any mix of basil, mint, sorrel, chives, lemon balm, tarragon, parsley, cilantro, spinach, arugula, young kale, chard
2 Tbs. walnuts, pine nuts or pumpkin seeds
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 teaspoon salt

-put all ingredients in food processor and blend till smooth

For the couscous:

1 cup of Israeli couscous
1 Tbs olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
In a sauce pan heat the oil and toast the couscous, stirring for about five minutes. Add the water and the salt, cover and lower heat to a simmer. Cook for ten minutes. Transfer to a bowl and fluff with a fork.

For the grilled Vegetables:

1 cup of carrots sliced thin
1 cup of zucchini sliced thin
1 cup of bell peppers sliced into strips
2 Tbs olive oil
- toss vegetables with the oil and lay over a hot grill. Cook on each side till vegetables get some grill marks. They can be crispy. Take vegetables off the grill and chop into bite sized pieces if they are large.

Combine the pesto with the couscous and vegetables. Can be served hot or cold.

herbs and grains

Deborah

This is my favorite season in the garden. Everything looks fresh, green, tender, and not yet overgrown. We have waited so long for this moment and the reward is heavenly. The dogwood tree planted last year which did not flower that first spring is now covered in blossoms! Ahhh!!

I do not posses the greenest of thumbs despite my passionate gardening heart. I seem to have the most success with herbs, which I use abundantly in cooking. The tenderest of herb shoots are now spreading themselves out in my planting beds and I am ready to make the most of them.

Lemon Balm grows like a weed! I love it in iced tea. 

I happened to be scurrying around Chelsea Market yesterday, sourcing ingredients for a big catering event, and tripped over a pop up restaurant being hosted by the James Beard Foundation. I had only minutes to spare, but managed to swoop around, hitting all the free tastings and I even checked out their lunch menu, which featured some very attractive grain salads. Not having time to actually sample one, I decided to go home and make my own.

Sorrel has a tangy sharp flavor. This varigated variety is so pretty.

Grains and fresh herbs seem like a perfect springtime combination. I wanted to also include the Turkish olive oil my sister brought home for me from her recent travels. The rice blend I used had a satisfying, chewy-nutty flavor and it paired perfectly with the intense herby-garlicky vinaigrette that I doused it in. My first bite immediately made me wish for some feta cheese, so I would recommend that addition to this recipe.





Rice Salad with Feta Cheese and Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

1 cup of brown rice (or a brown rice blend)
1 quart of water
1 teaspoon salt

Vinaigrette
1/2 cup finely chopped mixed *fresh herbs
1 garlic clove finely minced
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup green olives, chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese, cut in 1" cubes
1 cup of fresh spinach or sorrel leaves, sliced into ribbons

In a sauce pan, bring the water to a boil, add the rice and the salt and cook till rice is tender, about 25 minutes for brown rice. Drain Rice.
Make the vinaigrette: combine the herbs, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl (you can set this up while the rice is boiling to allow the herbs to infuse the vinegar with their flavor).  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking as you go. Combine the warm rice to the vinaigrette, add the olives, feta cheese and the spinach or sorrel.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Allow the herbs time to infuse the vinegar
to intensify the flavor






*the herbs I used from my garden for this recipe: lemon balm, oregano, sorrel, chives
Also good would be: dill. basil, tarragon, parsley, savory, chervil

Amanda
Looks gorgeous! Your pictures are the impetus for me to get my own herb garden started! In an effort to cut down on my lunch expenses at work, I like to make a big batch of "something" on Sundays that I can bring to work the following week. In the wintertime, I spend a good 2-3 hours over the weekends preparing healthy, hearty soups. For some reason, I have a harder time coming up with spring/summertime options. Gazpacho is one of my staples. And, now Deb's rice salad is a new addition! I will be making a batch of it this weekend!

There are many, many wine choices that come to mind. There are definitely reds that will work here. However, this time of year I stick to mostly whites. I have a hard time enjoying reds in the warmer weather, especially as summer draws near. But Pinot Noir and Beaujolais are good choices if red is what grabs you. And, both wines are wonderful served with a little chill. The softness of Pinot Noir and its abundance of fruit in particular are great qualities to contrast the saltiness of the feta and olives.

My first choice, however, would be a domestic Pinot Gris - something from Oregon. These wines can be "off-dry" (slightly sweet) which again, provides contrast to the salty nature of some of the salad ingredients. A to Z winery in Oregon produces a favorite Pinot Gris of mine. Juicy and rich, flavors of pear and vanilla abound, and a fresh acidity gives lift to some of that richness. My mouth waters as I consider this wine with Deb's salad! This Pinot Gris can be found for about $14.