Subject: Culinary herbFAQ (v.1.14) Part 4/7 Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1998 10:16:51 GMT From: HeK@hetta.pp.fi (Henriette Kress) Organization: ...ei meill' oo... Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible,alt.folklore.herbs,rec.food.preserving,alt.answers,rec.answers,news.answers Followup-To: rec.gardens.edible Archive-name: food/culinary-herbs/part4 Posting-Frequency: monthly (on or about 20th) Last-modified: 1998/04/06 Version: 1.14 URL: http://sunsite.unc.edu/herbmed/culiherb.html Available by ftp: sunsite.unc.edu or sunsite.sut.ac.jp /pub/academic/medicine/alternative-healthcare/herbal-medicine/faqs/ ========== 2.17 Garlic Latin name: Allium sativum. ===== 2.17.1 Growing garlic ----- From: TKSJOHN@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu (John Pedlow) Plant a clove every place you'd like a garlic plant to grow next year. "Regular" garlic does not get "seed" heads. Rocambole garlic does. The "seed" heads are not really seeds but are "bulblets" which may be planted and will develop into garlic in a couple of years. These bulblets do have a garlic flavor but I find them a bit bitter compared with garlic cloves. Btw, my rocambole is just slightly smaller (head size) than my "regular" garlic. and, I am unable to taste a difference between the two varieties. ----- From: sallee@aol.com (Sallee) The little bulblettes which are formed after the flower are the seeds for the garlic plant, but they must be planted in the FALL to make big beautiful garlic bulbs the following fall. Actually, the garlic knows the best time to plant itself -- when that head dries, it drops it's seeds at just the correct planting time. The garlic also tells you the best harvesting time for the bulbs for keeping and eating -- when that gooseneck flower stem unwinds fully, the bulbs are fully formed, but have not yet started to petal outward. The bulbs are still tightly closed and keep well. I've grown award winning garlic in Nebraska for years by letting the plants tell me when to pick this way. ===== 2.17.3 Using / preserving garlic ----- From: NDooley@president-po.president.uiowa.edu Garlic Jelly 2 T. butter or margarine 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled and minced 3 C. granulated sugar 1/2 C. apple cider vinegar 6 oz. liquid pectin In a large saucepan, combine butter and garlic over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is light golden brown (3 to 4 minutes). Add sugar and vinegar. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Stir in pectin. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam from top of jelly. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Yield: about 3 C. jelly. ----- From: Schaller_Barb@htc.honeywell.com (Barb Schaller) Here's a recipe from the Fall 1995 Kerr Kitchen Pantry publication: "This unusual jelly can be used as a condiment: Simply add it to a meat marinade or brush it on a roast while cooking. The combination of ingredients results in an attractive light green color -- no food coloring needed!" Garlic Jelly 4 oz. peeled garlic cloves 2 cups white vinegar (labeled 5 percent acidity) 5 cups sugar 3 oz. package liquid pectin (Certo brand) In a food processor or blender, blend garlic and 1/2 cup vinegar until smooth. In 6- to 8-quart saucepan, combine garlic mixture, remaining 1-1/2 cups vinegar and sugar. Over high heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Quickly add pectin, return to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Immediately fill hot, sterilized half-pint jars with jelly, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar tops and threads clean. Place hot lids on jars and apply screw bands firmly. Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Yield: 5 half-pint jars. ----- Garlic jam From: Sam Waring 4 Garlic head, whole (~14 oz) 1 T Olive oil, extra-virgin 1 md Onion; unpeeled & halved lengthwise Salt (opt) Preheat the oven to 350F. Using a large sharp knife, cut off 1/2-inch from the top of each head of garlic to expose some of the flesh. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over the bottom of a gratin or glass pie dish. Place the garlic and the onion halves cut sides down in the dish, cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until very soft to the touch. Uncover and let cool for 20 minutes. Peel the onion halves and finely chop them. Place in a medium bowl. Squeeze the garlic pulp from the skins into the bowl; discard the skins. Using a fork, stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and mash with the onion and garlic until thoroughly incorporated. Season with salt if desired. (The garlic jam will keep refrigerated in a glass jar for up to 2 weeks.) Makes 1-1/3 cups. Use this condiment with roasted meats or as a spread for toasted croutons or cold meat sandwiches, or try a spoonful of it mixed into homemade salad dressings and sauces. Source: Food & Wine - December, 1993 ----- From: hattie@netcom.com (Susan Hattie Steinsapir) Garlic bulbs - intact - keep well if given enough air about them. I keep a pound or so on hand, ordinarily, in a bowl on the counter. If it starts to go bad, usually you'll notice that it's sprouting much as an onion or potato would. It's great baked - then squeeze the paste out onto toasted baguettes. Absolutely *DO NOT* store it in oil. Doing this can lead to death by bacterial contamination. I don't know about freezing it. I usually use it up before I really have to consider such a course. ----- From: ness@tc.fluke.COM (Jerry Ness) I break up the garlic bulb and peel each clove of garlic. I put all the cloves of garlic in one of those pint jars with the glass lid, wire bale and red rubber gasket. I fill the jar with Gallo cocktail sherry and put it in the 'fridge. I tried the oil method with the same kind of jar in the 'fridge but after a couple of weeks the hiss of exhausting gasses when I opened the jar made me more than a little suspect that something wasn't right with this method. I have had no spoilage problems with the sherry/garlic method. An extra bonus is the garlic flavored sherry for stir fry, Yum! ----- From: hattie@netcom.com (Susan Hattie Steinsapir) The best part of a pickle is the pickled garlic. It's the safest thing for me to eat - I can eat about 3 of them and not salt out. I've seen pickled garlic in the stores. It costs 3 USD to 4 USD for a half-pint. Garlic is cheap, this stuff is way overpriced! So, I wanted to pickle it myself but needed a recipe. Voila! Here's a recipe for pickled garlic from the Kerr Kitchen *Pantry*. Pickled garlic 3 cups peeled garlic cloves (this was the tough part!) 1.5 cups white vinegar (5 percent acidity) 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 t pickling salt Add garlic cloves to pan of boiling water. When water returns to a boil, boil for one minute. Drain and pack into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Heat vinegar, sugar, and salt to boiling. Pour boiling pickling liquid over garlic, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Carefully run a nonmetallic utensil down inside of jars to remove trapped air bubbles. Wipe jar tops and threads clean. Place hot lids on jars and apply screw bands firmly. Process in Boiling Water Bath Canner for 10 minutes. Yield: 3 1/2 pints. I'll probably use less sugar, more salt. I know that I'll add hot pepper flakes for some extra kick. As an addendum, from Susan Hattie Steinsapir: When I pickled the garlic, I soaked it overnight in the fridge in vinegar. I poked holes in it so the vinegar could penetrate it better and then I boiled it in the vinegar. I didn't use sugar at all but used more salt. I haven't opened a jar yet but gave one to my sister. She was thrilled. ----- From: jouet@aol.com (JOUET): Garlic Soup 1 1 clove garlic 2 tbs. olive oil 3 tbs. butter 1 large onion, finely chopped 3 Cups chicken stock 4 slices white bread, crusts removed 2/3 Cup light cream 1 ounce blanched almonds, finely chopped Garnish: fresh parsley or chives, chopped Separate the garlic cloves, removing the papery skins. Heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic, and cook for 10-15 minutes until tender. Remove from the heat. Cook, then skin. Roughly chop the flesh. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the garlic and onion, cover, and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes until the onion is soft. Pour in the stock, add the bread, and simmer for 30 minutes. Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor. Add the cream and almonds and blend until smooth. Garnish and serve NOTES: Garlic that has been smoked over oak chips adds a great flavor but regular garlic will work quite well. Garlic Soup 2 1 whole garlic bulbs 2 quarts water 2 teaspoons salt a pinch of pepper 1/4 teaspoon sage 1/4 teaspoon thyme 1/2 teaspoon bay leaf 4 sprigs parsley 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 whole egg yolks 4 tablespoons olive oil some grated Parmesan cheese Separate the garlic cloves, drop into boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain, plunge into cold water, and peel. Put the garlic with the 2 quarts of water, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and olive oil into a large saucepan and boil slowly for 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Beat the egg yolks in a soup tureen until they are thick. Beat in the oil very slowly, as if making mayonnaise. Just before serving, beat a cup of the hot soup into the egg mixture slowly, so that the eggs heat gradually. Strain in the rest of the soup through a sieve, beating constantly; keeping back the garlic and seasonings. Press the garlic against the sieve to get the juice out. Serve at once with fresh French bread or croutons and cheese. Alternative: instead of the oil and egg mix in the tureen, strain the soup and return it to the pot. Add 3 cups potatoes, diced, and a pinch of saffron; simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Garlic Soup 3 1/2 cup oil 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 8 oz stale white bread, crusts removed, crumbled 1 teaspoon paprika pinch salt pinch cayenne pepper 4 cups water 3 whole tomatoes, peeled and coarsely 2 whole eggs, lightly beaten Garnish: 2 sprigs parsley, finely chopped Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the garlic and saute until soft but not brown. Add the bread and cook over moderate heat until light golden but do not brown. Add the paprika, salt, cayenne, water, and tomatoes, then simmer for 30 minutes over low heat. With a wooden spoon, beat the soup until the bread disintegrates. While beating, add the eggs. Simmer for a few moments but do not boil. The soup should be highly seasoned. If necessary, add more cayenne and salt. Garnish with parsley and serve. ----- From: Susan Hattie Steinsapir Here's yet another garlic soup recipe. This one from Elizabeth David's *French Country Cooking*. Soupe A L'Ail This version is from Languedoc. Put 2 tablespoons of goose or other good dripping into a deep earthenware casserole. In this, gently melt 24 cloves of garlic without letting them brown. (Note, most of us don't have goose fat or an earthenware casserole. I usually have some schmaltz - rendered chicken fat - on hand, or use a mixture of butter and olive oil. Use an enameled soup pot.) Over this pour 3 to 4 pints of warmed stock or water. Season with salt, black pepper, nutmeg and mace. Cook for 15 minutes. Put the soup through a sieve. (By this, I think you mush the garlic cloves through.) Return the soup to the pot to reheat it. In a bowl, beat the yolks of three to four eggs with three tablespoons of olive oil. Stir some of the soup into the eggs, then pour the egg mixture back into the soup without letting it boil again. Have some slices of stale bread, toasted in the oven with the egg whites (not beaten) spread over them. Put these bread slices into a soup dish and pour the soup over them. Should serve 4 to 6 easily. Enjoy. ========== 2.18 Thyme Latin name: Thymus vulgaris and other Thymus species. ===== 2.18.1 Growing thyme ----- From: skifast123@aol.com (SkiFast123) Transplanting thyme: a suggestion made by Adelma Grenier Simmons (of Caprilands, CT fame) in one of her many herb pamphlets is to bury one-half of the plant along with the roots in the soil. In other words, you will only, after transplanting, be able to see 1/2 of the plant that you had formerly. The other 1/2 will be underground. Since thyme is tricky to transplant because its roots are so fine and in my experience easy to sever from the main plant, this method has worked with good results for me. ========== 2.19 Lemon grass / Citronella grass Latin names: Lemon grass: Cymbopogon citratus. Citronella grass: Cymbopogon nardus ===== 2.19.2 Harvesting lemon grass ----- From: stoddard@aruba.ccit.arizona.edu (Mari J Stoddard) Scissor off the top third of the leaves, [dry] and use in tea or potpourri. Do this whenever you have lots of points sticking up, rather than harvested edges. I love to mix it with mint and Texas Ranger (all three fresh off the plant). Supposed to be good for throat complaints (cough, soreness). Rose petals or hibiscus makes for a prettier color. Cut off a clump to ground level, use bottom third in cooking - sliced fine or diced. Traditionally boiled in soups or sauces. For instance, lemon grass clump, chicken broth, coconut milk, garlic and a bit of fish sauce makes a great soup. Wait till you have at least three clumps. Cut off a clump almost to ground level and lay on the BBQ grill under fish or poultry. I usually separate the clump vertically into 1/4- 1/2 inch diameter lengths and grill them for about a minute before putting down the fish. Separate the pot contents into clumps, and plant each clump in a new pot. ----- From: Christopher Loffredo Either start by trimming off some of the older blades every few weeks, leaving some young shoots on the plant, then (1) roll up each blade into a tight curl or tie it into a bow and freeze it at once inside a plastic bag, or (2) dry the leaves, chop them up, and store in jars. If you use the freezer method all you have to do is thaw the lemon grass and it's ready to use. Dried lemon grass needs to be softened up if you're going to cook with it, so place some in a small bowl with a few tablespoons of hot water and let it soak for a while before cooking. ===== 2.19.3 Using / preserving lemon grass ----- From: ehunt@bga.com (Eric Hunt) This should be a great refresher. Iced Lemongrass Tea 1/4 c Chopped fresh lemongrass-tops or 2 tbs. Dried flakes 4 c Boiling water Sugar to taste Preheat teapot with boiling water; discard water. Add lemongrass and boiling water, steep 8 to 10 minutes; strain. Allow to cool, sweeten to taste, and serve in tall glasses with ice. Yield: 4 servings ----- From: albersa@aztec.asu.edu (ANN ALBERS) Lemon Grass Crockpot Chicken & Thai soup from the leftover stock 1 whole chicken 8 young lemongrass stalks, 4-6" long (use the tender white parts from the base of young shoots. These are tastiest) salt and pepper to taste Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Rub all over with butter and then salt and pepper to taste. Stuff about half the lemongrass stalks in the cavity of the chicken and put it in a crockpot, or Dutch oven. Make slits in the skin and insert the other stalks. Trim if necessary to fit these in. Pour water over the chicken to submerge it about halfway and cook on low 6-8 hrs till tender. Now, you can eat the chicken and make Thai soup out of the lemon grass stock. To make the soup, strain all the stuff out of the stock. Add a can of coconut milk, several shakes of red pepper flakes, bits of leftover chicken that you've shredded and then salt and pepper to taste. Heat thoroughly & in the last five minutes of cooking time add some sliced mushrooms, & green onions. Yum. Other ideas: Make lemongrass tea. I never measure, just pour boiling water over the leaves or stems and steep till it's well-colored. Add honey to taste. Use the tender young shoots, chopped in stir fry dishes to add flavor. It's good with stir fried chicken, water chestnuts, sliced carrots and broccoli. I usually stir fry the lemongrass shoots first (about an hour ahead of time) in a little oil then mix with teriyaki or soy sauce, some ginger, and cornstarch to thicken. Then, after stir-frying the rest of the stuff, dump the sauce over all and allow it to thicken. Serve with rice. ----- From: Sam Waring Nasi Kuneng (Yellow rice) 1 lemon grass stalk or lemon zest 2 1/2 c rice 1 1/2 c coconut milk 3 c water 2 1/2 tsp. turmeric 1 tsp. salt 1 sl galangal, dry 1 bay leaf 1 krapau leaf Once reserved for religious ceremonies, nasi kuneng is still served on special occasions in Indonesia. This sweet and aromatic centerpiece of a dish is perfect with satay. Cut lemon grass into pieces about 3" long and tie into a bundle. In a 3-quart pan combine lemon grass, rice, coconut milk, water, turmeric, salt, galangal, bay leaf, and citrus leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring gently every now and then, just until liquid is absorbed. To finish cooking, steam according to one of the methods listed below. To steam in cooking pan: cover pan, reduce heat to low, and cook until rice is tender (15-20 minutes). Halfway thru estimated cooking time, gently fluff rice with 2 forks. Remove and discard seasonings. Transfer to a serving bowl or mound rice on a platter into a rounded cone. To steam using traditional method: transfer rice and seasonings to a colander or steamer basket insert. Into a large kettle, pour water to a depth or 1 1/2 inches: bring to boil over high heat. Place colander in kettle. Cover and reduce heat, steam until rice is tender (about 20 minutes). Remove and discard seasonings. Serve as noted above. -- per Larry Haftl ----- From arielle@Starbase.NeoSoft.COM (Stephanie da Silva): Lemongrass Drink A handful of fresh lemongrass leaves, preferable the soft grassy tops, or the top half of 12 fresh green stalks 3 cups cold water 1/4 cup sugar syrup Cut the leaves or tops into 2-inch lengths, measure out 1 1/2 cups, loosely packed. In a blender, combine the tops, water and syrup and blend at high speed until the water is a vivid green and the lemongrass leaves are reduced to fine, short, needlelike pieces, about 1 minute. Strain through a very fine sieve into a large pitcher, spoon off and discard green foam. Taste to see if it's sweet enough, and add more syrup if you like. Serve in tall glasses over ice. Sugar syrup: 1 cup sugar 1 cup water Combine sugar and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until liquid has thickened and colored slightly, about 5 minutes. Cool. ===== 2.19.4 Which lemon grass do you have? ----- >>A friend told me he was buying small lemon grass plants to put in his garden to help keep away bugs. >>Has anyone ever heard of lemon grass as a bug (I assume he meant, gnats, etc.) deterrent? >Perhaps there is a connection to citronella? From Rastapoodle@newsguy.com (Rastapoodle): Boy, are we confused here folks, but it is a common mistake. Here's the story: Lemongrass, a delightful plant, and it's close cousin, Citronella have many wonderful properties, releasing their scent into the air not being one of them. Lemongrass is wonderful to eat, Citronella is *not*. They look similar, so be careful what you buy. Citronella is distilled to extract its oil, which is used in insect repellent candles, burning coils, etc. Very interestingly, a Dutch plant scientist did some genetic engineering and spliced the oil gene of the Citronella into a Pelargonium (scented geranium) plant. The resultant plant looks like a scented geranium, but gives off the fragrance of Citronella (and rose, the original scent of the geranium) to the air with just a breeze or a kiss from the sun. The hybrid is called Citrosa, and it is patented (you can't make cuttings for sale). A fully grown Citrosa (about 4 x 4 feet here in Miami) is supposed to protect a 100 sq. ft area from mosquitoes. Hope this clears up any confusion. Anya PS I have planted my Citrosa among my Lemongrass for an ironic statement. ----- >I would like to know if it is worth while to grow citronella plants with the idea that I can make citronella candles. I don't believe I have seen these plants in any of my order catalogs and none of my gardening books tell how you get the citronella out of the plants. From: adgrant@water.waterw.com (Andrew Grant): Commercially the oil is extracted by steam distillation using old extracted plants as fuel. I doubt that you want to get that elaborate. I have never tried it but I suspect that the plants could be chopped up and extracted with a solvent like alcohol or toluene. Of course you would then have to boil off the solvent. If you do contemplate this, know that the % oil in the plant is low (I have forgotten the number) so your yield will be low. Incidentally the notion that citronella discourages mosquitoes is not well supported by my experience. I have seen mosquito larvae in rain water on top of drums of citronella oil with oil droplets in the water!!! ========== 2.20 Horseradish Latin name: Armoracia rusticana. ===== 2.20.1 Growing horseradish ----- With this plant, the problem is less how to get it to grow and more how to get rid of it later. To illustrate: From: david bennett I need some help; how do I get rid of horseradish which I planted a number of years ago that now threatens to take over my garden? Key issue is no matter how deep you dig; you never get all of the root out. Now there hides beneath the soil an infant root waiting to become a big plant next year, etc. ----- From eberts@donald.uoregon.edu (sonny hays-eberts), to above: Learn to appreciate horseradish - I doubt you'll be able to eradicate it short of using some harsh chemical means. you'll very likely have to settle for control instead of removal. If your soil is not heavy clay, I'd recommend spading up the area and using a sieve to extract as many runners as possible. depending on the area of your problem, that may be some work. You can also pinch off all the leaves (continuously) in an effort to deplete the roots of energy. You may also have some luck by using a large sheet of black plastic to mulch the area, though I'd not recommend this in times of extreme heat, it tends to bake the soil pretty badly. Another method used to contain such invasive plants is to ring the area with some sort of buried edging; I know of people who cut the bottoms off five gallon plastic buckets, bury them and plant the horseradish in the center of each bucket (the bottom is removed for drainage). While it's too late to do that, you may be able to define an area, trench it, and bury a foot or two of something (metal will corrode eventually, wood will rot, plastic isn't very organic and eventually becomes brittle, all end up needing to be replaced over time) to restrict underground movement. ===== 2.20.3 Using horseradish ----- also see 4.9.5 Mustards, below. ----- From: rcook@BIX.com (Rick Cook) First get a gas mask . . . Seriously, the root is incredibly pungent when you're grinding it. You can simply peel and grate it and use as is, or you can mix with mustard, vinegar, cream, etc. for various sauces. A word of warning: Proceed slowly. Fresh horseradish is a lot hotter than the stuff you get in bottles. ----- From: CAOwens@ix.netcom.com (Christine A. Owens ) Dig up the root. Wash carefully, and peel like a carrot. Grate very fine. Add 1 T cider vinegar and a pinch of salt per 1/2 c. Store frozen, or in the refrigerator. You can add a couple of ounces of grated horseradish to vinegar, and let it sit for a couple of weeks to produce a spiced vinegar with a real 'zip'. A small amount of grated horseradish added to any dressing or sauce will pep it up effectively. Mix powdered mustard, the vinegar of your choice, and grated horseradish in equal volumes for the best mustard in the world. BTW, horseradish greens are also very good, either diced very fine as an addition to a salad, steamed like spinach, or sauteed in a little butter or oil. ----- From: NDooley@president-po.president.uiowa.edu Horseradish Jelly 3 C. granulated sugar 1/2 C. prepared horseradish 1/2 C. apple cider vinegar 6 oz. liquid pectin In a large saucepan, combine sugar, horseradish and vinegar over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Stir in pectin. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam from top of jelly. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Yield: about 3 C. jelly. Delicious with meat or cream cheese/crackers. ----- From cleek@ns.sympatico.ca (Dr Corinne B Leek): >Seriously, the root is incredibly pungent when you're grinding it. True, true, true. I just finished doing my own horseradish sauce yesterday. My eyes are still raw!! Though using a food processor and blender reduce the work load, it doesn't help with the pungency problem. Horseradish Sauce - Pickled Style 2 C Grated Horseradish 1 tsp Pickling Salt 2 Tbsp Sugar 3 C White Vinegar Mix salt, sugar, and vinegar. Bring to boil and stir to dissolve. Remove from heat and stir in horseradish. *Remember that if the horseradish itself is heated, the oils that provide the pungency will be damaged.* ========== 2.21 Fennel Latin name: Foeniculum vulgare. ===== 2.21.1 Growing fennel ----- From: Sonny Hays-Eberts : Fennel is easy to grow, growing wild in many areas. An annual, it looks like dill, only slightly more coarse. I've had problems in wet years with it getting some sort of mold, but is generally quite troublefree. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Seeds can be planted as soon as frost danger is past. It's best to blanch (cover with dirt) the bulbs if you plan on harvesting them to keep them tender. Plants should be thinned to about a foot apart. You should get some volunteers if you let them go to seed. ===== 2.21.2 Harvesting fennel ----- From: Sonny Hays-Eberts : The tender leaves may be diced and used to add a hint of licorice flavor and is great to use with seafood. Fennel seed can be used with poppy seed, sesame seed, celery or dill seed on bread. The bulb of the plant is also commonly harvested, though I always let mine go to seed instead. For best flavor harvest the leaves just as the flowers are starting to bloom. ----- > Can anyone give me some ideas on how to store or prepare the surplus of fennel seeds in my yard? From: HerbalMuse@aol.com If you intend to use the seeds in baking or other cooking, then you must collect them from the flower heads as soon as they begin to turn brown, or they will fall to the ground to re-seed. I store whole dill seed heads (as you can do with fennel) in paper bags and keep them in a cool, dry pantry in the basement. Fennel seeds are excellent with grilled or broiled fish, chicken, with tomato based soups, and of course, in breads, cakes & cookies. If the seeds have already fallen to the ground, and are not cleared away, you can expect to see the emergence of new plants in early spring. This may delight you, however you should consider where these plants will grow in relation to the rest of garden. Fennel should be grown in a bed of it's own since most herbs won't do well in its presence, and it will stunt tomatoes and bush beans. ===== 2.21.3 Using / preserving fennel ----- From: Sonny Hays-Eberts : The leaves and seeds may be dried. The leaves may also be frozen. The tastiest way I've had it is from a local restaurant, Ambrosia. A dish called fettucine Gamberi, it had fettucine (duh!) in a parmesan cream sauce with garlic, fennel leaves, parsley, scallops, shrimp, capers and fresh tomatoes. Quite tasty! Fennel has an anise or licorice flavor, and can be used to flavor cheeses, vegetables and some pastries in addition to seafood. ===== 2.21.4 Which Fennel do you have? ----- From: Sonny Hays-Eberts : There are two common types of fennel; Bronze Fennel and Common Fennel also known as Finocchio (or Florence Fennel). True to it's name, the Bronze Fennel's foliage is a dusky brown. My experience has all been with bronze fennel, which is pretty in the garden as well as useful for cooking. ========== 2.22 Anise hyssop Latin name: Agastache foeniculum (Anise Hyssop) Agastache rugosa (Licorice mint, Korean) ===== 2.22.3 Using / preserving Anise hyssop ----- From: Patrick Millard They are both strongly scented of licorice and somewhat sweet-smelling as well. They are attracive in the garden with long spikes of blue-purple flowers. They are considered to be good bee forage. They will grow well indoors under flourescent lighting, blooming about 2 months after seeding. Anise Hyssop is native to N. central U.S. I used the leaves and flowers in salads and for flavoring meat dishes. They are supposed to good as a tea also. ========== 2.23 Parsley Latin name: Petroselinum crispum. ===== 2.23.1 Growing parsley ----- From: Linda Kovacs (kovacsla@vnet.ibm.com) Parsley is a biennial. Plant seeds early in the spring (they're a little slow to germinate). The first year, you get plenty of leaves, on fairly long stems that come from the crown of the plant. The second year, you get a couple of leaves and a long bloom stalk, which looks very much like Queen Anne's Lace (they're related.) If you let it go to seed, some of the seed will grow the next year. To have a steady supply of parsley for cooking, you should plant two years in a row. After that, it will self-sow if you let it. Parsley's easy to grow - reasonable soil, sun, and water if you have a long dry spell. The only pest I ever had was leaf miners, and the damage was minimal. ===== 2.23.2 Harvesting parsley ----- From: Linda Kovacs (kovacsla@vnet.ibm.com) Pick leaves from the plant, stem and all. The first year, the more you pick, the more leaves you'll get. The second year, there are only a couple of leaves, and no more will grow, because the plant is working on bloom and seeds. ===== 2.23.2 Using/preserving parsley ----- From: Linda Kovacs (kovacsla@vnet.ibm.com) The flat "Italian" parsley is the most strongly flavored. If you're going to use it for cooking, this is the kind to get. Curly parsley is much prettier on a plate, but doesn't have as much flavor. Use it mostly for garnishes. Parsley is, of course, a classic garnish. A sprig of curly parsley on a plate really dresses it up. You can also chop parsley and sprinkle it on meats, vegetables, etc. Parsley is also a classic soup herb. When you're making stock, parsley is one of the "aromatic vegetables" that's recommended to make the flavor richer. For this, use stem and all; in fact, this is a good place to use stems that you've cut off from pieces used for garnish. It's a wonderful addition to a cooked vegetable, especially green beans or peas. Tends to accentuate the flavor of the vegetable. It's good in salads, too, adding a different "green" texture and flavor. It's a bit too strong to be used by itself, for most people's taste. Parsley can be chopped and dried, or chopped and frozen in ice cubes. The cubes are great added to soup or a sauce. The dried parsley can be added as is to a dish to be cooked or used as a garnish on soup, or soaked in a little bit of water and sprinkled on top of already- cooked food as a garnish. ========== 2.24 Monarda or Bee Balm Latin name: Monarda didyma and other Monarda species. ===== 2.24.1 Growing Monarda ----- From: jnewbo@aol.com (Jnewbo) My Monarda Cambridge Scarlet (the most common one) doesn't stay in place; it moves forward on flat stems near the surface. That means it creeps forward and needs to be divided and resituated every two-three years or so. It also is prone to mildew - but the crown-like scarlet blooms are fabulous. A more well-behaved variety is the pink one, "Croftway Pink"; it has more lanceolate leaves and smaller blooms, but the bees (including hummingbird-moth) love it, and it enlarges in the more traditional way, increasing the clump rather than traveling all over the garden. Both bloom about three weeks, maybe more (sometimes I get "double" and even "triple decker" crowns on the red one). After that clip back and you may get more smaller blooms after a while. ----- From: Tristan Hatton-Ellis Both 'Croftway Pink' and Cambridge Scarlet are rather mildew-prone. You may be interested to know that there are a whole range of new hybrids that have come out, bearing the names of the signs of the zodiac, that are much more mildew-resistant. They come in colours from purple through red and pink to white. Monardas are also much less prone to getting mildew (and also grow and flower much better) in a dampish soil, or at least in a place where they do not get too dry in summer. ----- an354@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Barbara) Monarda didyma, also known as Bergamot and Bee Balm is a hardy perennial which grows 2-3 feet tall. Bees love it. The plant spreads fairly quickly through its root system. Divide every three years, discarding the dead centre of the root. The plant will grow well in sun or part shade. The flowers last 4-6 weeks. ==== 2.24.3 Using / preserving Monarda ----- From: an354@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Barbara) Monarda didyma, Bergamot or Bee Balm: The leaves dry well and can be used to make a tea that tastes like Earl Grey tea. From: jnewbo@aol.com (Jnewbo) The leaves and flowers of Cambridge scarlet are marvelous, bergamotty-flavored things, though I found the tea rather scratchy on the throat. From: Marylin.Kraker@bbs.c4systm.com (Marylin Kraker) Mondarda does make good tea, which is why it's also called Oswego tea. It's not the same as the bergamot in Earl Grey, which is a tropical citrus. From: Conrad Richter Both the leaves and flowers can be used. The flowers, of course, add nice colour. Some say that the flowers have a more delicate flavour, and of the various varieties, the red bergamot is the creme-de-la-creme. ===== 2.24.5 Monarda and the bergamot flavor in Earl Grey tea ----- >So I heard from someone that bee balm is sorta-kinda the same plant that gives Earl Grey tea its distintive taste. Is this true? From HeK@hetta.pp.fi: No, it isn't. The flavor in Earl grey tea comes from the bergamot orange, Citrus aurantia var. bergamia. Monarda just has the same flavor, so you -can- make your own Earl grey tea using Monarda leaves. Storebought Earl grey uses abovementioned citrus. ========== 2.25 Ginger Latin name: Zingiber officinale ===== 2.25.3 Using / preserving ginger ----- Also see 4.8.2, Ginger beer, below. ----- on alt.humor.best-of-usenet in March 96: From: wouk@alumni.cs.colorado.edu (Arthur Wouk) Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking Subject: Re: Crystalized Ginger -- Make it myself??? Eric Stauffer wrote: >I have a couple of receipes that call for crystallized ginger. Much to my dismay it's about $7.00 per bottle. Upon close examination is looks like nothing more than peeled ginger coarsely chopped and slathered in sugar. How far off the mark am I?? You are off by about 8 hours of cooking the ginger in a sugary syrup. arthur wouk ----- >Does anyone know how to make preserved ginger? I've also seen it called crystalized ginger. It is small chunks of sugar-coated ginger and the texture is quite chewy. If you have a recipe for this I would appreciate a copy. From: Eve Dexter (evedex@hookup.net) Scrape and cut into 1/4 inch slices enough non-fibrous young Ginger root to make 1 quart. Put the slices into a large non-aluminum pat and cover generously with water. Bring slowly to the boil an simmer, covered until tender (20 min). Add 1 cup sugar and stir until the mixture boils. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand overnight at room temperature. Recook, simmering gently for about 15 min (after coming to the boil). Add 1 seeded sliced lemon and 1 cup light corn syrup. Uncover and simmer 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand covered overnight. Bring the mixture to the boil again and add 1 cup sugar and simmer for 30 min STIRRING CONSTANTLY (burns easily). Add 1 cup sugar, bring back to the boil and remove from heat. Cover and let stand overnight again. In the fourth cooking, bring the mixture to a boil once more. When the syrup drops heavily from the side of a spoon, and the ginger is translucent, pour the mixture into sterile jars and seal. This yields about 5 cups. If you want Candied ginger...drain the ginger after the last cooking. Reserve the syrup for flavoring sauces and allow the slices to dry on a sheet or better still a rack, overnight. When well dried, roll in granulated sugar and store in tightly covered glass jars. ----- From: albersa@aztec.asu.edu (ANN ALBERS) Before grilling a thick whitefish, I sometimes coat it with this mixture: 1 cup orange juice 1/4 cup honey 1/2-inch gingerroot, chopped very fine Sweet but tasty. Slivered macadamia nuts or almonds may be sprinkled on after the fish comes off the grill. ----- From: jdtrach@islandnet.com (Julia Trachsel) This is a great recipes which I always make in our cool, rainy season out here on the west coast. Hope you enjoy it as much as my family and guests do. Gingerbread 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg beaten 1 cup molasses 2 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 teas. baking soda 1 tbsp. ginger 1 tsp. allspice 1 tsp. cloves 1 cup boiling water 1 cup raisins (optional) 1 cup crystalized ginger, chopped Cream shortening, sugar, add beaten egg and molasses. Add dry ingredients. Add boiling water, mix well. Add chopped crystalized ginger and stir gently. Pour inti 2 small greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. A skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean when the gingerbread is done. My personal twist to this recipe is to add 1 cup of crystalized ginger (instead of 1/2 cup) and to serve it with hot lemon pie filling which has been extended by adding enough extra water to make it pourable. ========== 2.26 Anise Latin name: Pimpinella anisum - this is aniseed, and that's the plant covered here. Illicium anisatum (I.verum) - this is star anise. ===== 2.26.1 Growing anise ----- From Jennifer A. Cabbage : Anise is an annual herb native to the Mediterranean- Egypt, Greece, Crete, and Asia Minor. It is a rather fussy herb; it likes perfect weather of uniform rainfall and temperatures. It wilts under excessive heat but requires full sun, and it does not transplant well. Propagation is by seed, and be sure the seed is fresh. Seeds need a temperature of 70F to germinate, and will germinate in 7 to 14 days. Sow 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in light, well-drained, medium-rich sandy soil. A pH of 6.0 to 7.5 is best. Space 3 inch seedlings 6 to 12 inches apart. ===== 2.26.2 Harvesting anise ----- From Jennifer A. Cabbage : Harvest seeds as soon as the tip of the seed turns gray (they should not be black), anywhere from 60 to 130 days after planting, depending on climate. Since Anise is an annual, collect seeds either by pulling up the entire plant, or by just cutting the tops off. Spread plants to dry. Thresh. ===== 2.26.3 Using / preserving anise ----- From Jennifer A. Cabbage : Use fresh leaves as a garnish or flavoring for salads. They can be cooked as a pot-herb. Flowers are occasionally dried and powdered as a flavoring for wine. Seeds are used in bread, pastries, cookies, vegetables, baked apples, applesauce, cheese, desserts, plum jam, brandy, cordials, and milk. 1/2 to 1 tsp per 4 quarts of potato or lentil soup, 1/2 tsp crushed in salads. Use ground anise seed quickly, it loses its strength fast. ========== 2.27 Borage Latin name: Borago officinalis ===== 2.27.1 Growing borage ----- From Jennifer A. Cabbage : Borage is a very hardy annual native to the Mediterranean. It grows to 2 feet tall, or even 5 feet in rich soil, and has beautiful blue flowers. It is an extremely tolerant plant, doing well in average and poor dry soils (pH between 5 and 8), but it is difficult to transplant due to its tap root. It is a good plant for container culture, planted in a large tub with smaller herbs arranged around the edge. Borage is easily grown from seed. Plant 1/2 in. deep (about the time of the last frost outdoors), seeds will germinate in 7 to 14 days. Plant in full sun or partial shade, thin 18 in. to 2 feet apart. To encourage leaf growth, supply rich moist soil. To encourage flowers, hold the fertilizer and give plenty of sun. Leaves give off sparks and pop when burned due to nitrate of potash. ===== 2.27.3 Using / preserving borage ----- From Jennifer A. Cabbage : Fresh leaves are best, but can be dried. Harvest leaves for drying as plant begins to flower. Dry very carefully - quickly, good air circulation, and with no overlapping of leaves. Flowers can be dried to add color to potpourri. Fresh leaves and flowers have a spicy, cucumber-like taste and an onion-like smell. Young leaves or peeled stems are good chopped in salads, or leaves can be boiled as a pot-herb. The flowers make a colorful addition to salads and a flavorful addition to lemonade. Add borage to cabbage-type vegetables, gravies, or spiced punches. In some areas of France, the flowers are dipped in batter and fried. Flowers can also be candied. Borage Flower Tea: handful of fresh leaves steeped in 1-2 quarts of water, add one or two sprigs of spearmint. Makes a refreshing summer beverage. Borage and Rosemary Wine: Steep a handful of fresh rosemary (or 2 tablespoons dried rosemary) and 2 tablespoons dried borage leaves in one bottle of white wine for a week or more. Strain through cheesecloth or a paper coffee strainer. Candied Borage Flowers: Brush flowers with lightly beaten egg white, then dip in superfine granulated sugar. Spread to dry. ----- From: Pat Peck Borage vinegar 1 1/2 cups fresh borage flowers (I add a little of the stem and leaves for more intense flavor), wash and blot dry. 4 cups white wine vinegar (do not use distilled white vinegar) Place in large jar. (I use mason jars with plastic over jar lip under lid). Heat vinegar to just before boil. Pour into jar. Stir. Place in dark place for 3 to 4 weeks. Go by and stir from time to time. P.S. You can cheat and add a tiny drop of blue food coloring if not blue enough. ========== End of part 4 of 7 ========== -- Henriette Kress HeK@hetta.pp.fi Helsinki, Finland http://sunsite.unc.edu/herbmed FTP: sunsite.unc.edu or sunsite.sut.ac.jp /pub/academic/medicine/alternative-healthcare/herbal-medicine/ Medicinal and Culinary herbFAQs, plant pictures, neat stuff, archives...