Here are our recipes--chosen for flavor and do-ability. The hit of the day was my assistant's herb crepes with lemon butter. She also did roasted vegetables with chimichurri, and I did my sorrel soup and Frances Maye's Sage Pesto on bruschetta.
We roasted the vegetables and the bruschetta in the garden's earth oven, mostly so we would have an excuse to have a pizza party afterwards. The sage pesto found its true calling on the pizza. In fact the best pizza combination we came up with was garlic oil, mozzarella, sage pesto, Italian sausage, mushrooms, chiplotle juice and sage leaves.
LBO COOKS: HERBS
CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
from Food and Wine
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 large garlic cloves, minced (2 1/2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons oregano leaves
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb vegetables for grilling
In a food processor, combine the parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper. Process until smooth; season with salt and pepper. While motor is running, slowly add in the olive oil until blended. Let stand for at least 20 minutes for flavor to develop.
Slice vegetables if needed for grilling. Toss in enough chimichurri to coat vegetables (about 1/3 cup). Let vegetables marinate for about 30 minutes then grill until tender. Serve remaining sauce for dipping.
HERB CREPES WITH LEMON-HERB BUTTER
from The Washington Post
FOR THE CREPES
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups low-fat milk (2 percent)
2 tablespoons melted, salted butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup grated cheese, such as a combination of aged Gruyère and Parmesan
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or dill *
*may substitute for any other herbs
FOR THE LEMON-HERB BUTTER
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or dill
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (regular or Meyer lemon)
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher or fine sea salt (optional)
For the crepes:
Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until blended, then whisk in the milk and melted butter. Sift the flour into the batter, stirring until incorporated. Add the cheese and the herbs, stirring to form a fairly smooth batter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and up to several hours.
For the lemon-herb butter:
Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Add the herbs, lemon zest, and a light sprinkling of pepper; cook for a minute or two. Taste and add salt if needed.
Make the crepes: Heat an 8-inch skillet or crepe pan over medium heat. Add a touch of butter or oil. Once the butter/oil is hot, add 1/4 cup of the batter to the hot skillet; immediately swirl it around to create a very thin coating over the entire bottom of the skillet. Cook for 60 to 90 seconds. Use a thin metal spatula to loosen the crepe around the edges and carefully flip it over. Cook the second side for a minute or more, until it just begins to turn a pale golden brown. Slide the crepe onto a plate. Repeat.
Serve the crepes loosely folded over (once or twice), or rolled. Drizzle with the lemon-herb butter.
CREAM OF SORREL SOUP
Joe Corso
(based on Julia Child’s Watercress Soup from Mastering the Art of French Cooking)
1 cup (or more) sliced leeks
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) butter
3 Tbs. flour
6 cups chicken stock
3 to 4 cups packed cups of fresh sorrel leaves, stemmed and washed
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup whipping cream
Cook the leeks slowly in butter in a covered saucepan for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender but not browned.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir over moderate heat for 3 minutes.
Gradually beat in the stock; simmer for 10 minutes, stir in the sorrel and salt, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until tender and wilted, then puree. Return the soup to the saucepan and season to taste with salt and pepper. (If not to be served immediately, set aside uncovered. Reheat to simmer before proceeding.)
Blend the yolks and cream in a mixing bowl. Beat a cupful of the soup into them by dribbles. Gradually beat in the rest of the soup. Return the soup to the saucepan and stir over moderate heat for a minute or two to poach the egg yolks, but do not bring the soup to the simmer. Correct seasoning and serve.
SAGE PESTO
from Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun. Good for sausages, bruschetta, and beans.
a big bunch sage leaves
2 cloves garlic
4 Tbsp pine nuts
olive oil
salt and pepper
a handful parmesan
Grind sage, garlic, and nuts in a food processor (or by hand in a big mortar). Slowly add oil to make a thick paste. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in salt and pepper and parmesan.
BONUS RECIPE: BATTER FRIED SAGE LEAVES.
This one was impromptu, but I will type it for you: Mix 2 eggs with 1/2 cup flour until smooth. Add a pinch of salt. Dilute with a little beer. Dip sage leaves (or sorrel leaves, or blanched green beans, or salted Zucchini sticks, or squash blossoms, etc.) in the batter and fry in hot oil.
We roasted the vegetables and the bruschetta in the garden's earth oven, mostly so we would have an excuse to have a pizza party afterwards. The sage pesto found its true calling on the pizza. In fact the best pizza combination we came up with was garlic oil, mozzarella, sage pesto, Italian sausage, mushrooms, chiplotle juice and sage leaves.
LBO COOKS: HERBS
CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
from Food and Wine
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 large garlic cloves, minced (2 1/2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons oregano leaves
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb vegetables for grilling
In a food processor, combine the parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper. Process until smooth; season with salt and pepper. While motor is running, slowly add in the olive oil until blended. Let stand for at least 20 minutes for flavor to develop.
Slice vegetables if needed for grilling. Toss in enough chimichurri to coat vegetables (about 1/3 cup). Let vegetables marinate for about 30 minutes then grill until tender. Serve remaining sauce for dipping.
HERB CREPES WITH LEMON-HERB BUTTER
from The Washington Post
FOR THE CREPES
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups low-fat milk (2 percent)
2 tablespoons melted, salted butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup grated cheese, such as a combination of aged Gruyère and Parmesan
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or dill *
*may substitute for any other herbs
FOR THE LEMON-HERB BUTTER
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or dill
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (regular or Meyer lemon)
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher or fine sea salt (optional)
For the crepes:
Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until blended, then whisk in the milk and melted butter. Sift the flour into the batter, stirring until incorporated. Add the cheese and the herbs, stirring to form a fairly smooth batter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and up to several hours.
For the lemon-herb butter:
Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Add the herbs, lemon zest, and a light sprinkling of pepper; cook for a minute or two. Taste and add salt if needed.
Make the crepes: Heat an 8-inch skillet or crepe pan over medium heat. Add a touch of butter or oil. Once the butter/oil is hot, add 1/4 cup of the batter to the hot skillet; immediately swirl it around to create a very thin coating over the entire bottom of the skillet. Cook for 60 to 90 seconds. Use a thin metal spatula to loosen the crepe around the edges and carefully flip it over. Cook the second side for a minute or more, until it just begins to turn a pale golden brown. Slide the crepe onto a plate. Repeat.
Serve the crepes loosely folded over (once or twice), or rolled. Drizzle with the lemon-herb butter.
CREAM OF SORREL SOUP
Joe Corso
(based on Julia Child’s Watercress Soup from Mastering the Art of French Cooking)
1 cup (or more) sliced leeks
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) butter
3 Tbs. flour
6 cups chicken stock
3 to 4 cups packed cups of fresh sorrel leaves, stemmed and washed
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup whipping cream
Cook the leeks slowly in butter in a covered saucepan for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender but not browned.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir over moderate heat for 3 minutes.
Gradually beat in the stock; simmer for 10 minutes, stir in the sorrel and salt, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until tender and wilted, then puree. Return the soup to the saucepan and season to taste with salt and pepper. (If not to be served immediately, set aside uncovered. Reheat to simmer before proceeding.)
Blend the yolks and cream in a mixing bowl. Beat a cupful of the soup into them by dribbles. Gradually beat in the rest of the soup. Return the soup to the saucepan and stir over moderate heat for a minute or two to poach the egg yolks, but do not bring the soup to the simmer. Correct seasoning and serve.
SAGE PESTO
from Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun. Good for sausages, bruschetta, and beans.
a big bunch sage leaves
2 cloves garlic
4 Tbsp pine nuts
olive oil
salt and pepper
a handful parmesan
Grind sage, garlic, and nuts in a food processor (or by hand in a big mortar). Slowly add oil to make a thick paste. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in salt and pepper and parmesan.
BONUS RECIPE: BATTER FRIED SAGE LEAVES.
This one was impromptu, but I will type it for you: Mix 2 eggs with 1/2 cup flour until smooth. Add a pinch of salt. Dilute with a little beer. Dip sage leaves (or sorrel leaves, or blanched green beans, or salted Zucchini sticks, or squash blossoms, etc.) in the batter and fry in hot oil.