"Cooking with Herbs"

Kyldara Park Heritage Herb Farm hope that you enjoy the many flavors in the recipes below and that experiencing these herbs gives you the enthusiasm to grow many of them in your own kitchen garden.

The following herbs and spices are used in these recipes. The majority of them have come from our gardens at Kyldara Park. There is generally much more flavor in fresh herbs than dried but if unavailable by all means experiment with dried herbs. Fresh herbs are somewhat different and more complex in flavour than dried herbs (like the difference between a vine ripened tomato and a canned tomato). There are really no rules for using herbs other than a common caution of being certain what you are cooking with. If you are ever in doubt about a particular plant, do not use it.

Herbs used in todays menu
What is a herb? There are many definitions of a herb, none altogether satisfactory. Medicinally the word refers to any plant that can assist in the prevention or treatment of illness; while in the kitchen it means a part of a plant that is used in the preparation of food. In short - plants used by man for food, medicine, aromatic, cosmetic or dyeing purposes.

Spices used in the following recipes
What is a spice? Spices are the dried seeds (cumin, coriander, cardamom, mustard), buds
(cloves), fruit or flower parts (peppercorns, allspice), bark and roots (cassia, cinnamon and ginger) or leaves (kaffir lime leaves) of plants.

Todays Menu

Punjabi-Chai Spritz
Make up a quantity of our Punjabi Chai tea (quantity depends on how many glasses are required). Let it cool then chill it in the fridge. When ready to serve, add the same quantity of lemonade (we serve it in a carafe but it could be served in a jug or by the glass) This makes a delicious and refreshing non-alcoholic drink. We often serve it to groups here and invariably several members buy some Punjabi Chai tea to take home. Several of our other teas can be used the same way, e.g Granny's Garden, Peach Melba.

Herbed Cheese Ball with Melba toast
250 grams Cream cheese
2 cups grated tasty cheese
3 tablespoons Gherkin relish
1½ teaspoons curry powder
3 spring onions, chopped finely
Parsley, fresh chopped, enough to coat

Mix all above ingredients (except parsley) together in a bowl. There is enough mixture to make 3 logs or 1 log and 1 ball.

Mold into shapes required and roll in freshly chopped parsley and serve with Melba toast or rice cracker biscuits.

The Herbed Cheese ball or rolls can be frozen until required. Wrap individual logs or ball in gladwrap and place in freezer - DO NOT freeze with parsley coating, only coat just prior to serving.

Melba toast
Remove all crusts from day old sliced bread, and cut shapes as desired. Place on ungreased baking tray and make in a moderate oven for 15 to 20 minutes turning frequently until golden. Melba toast will keep well for up to two weeks in an airtight container.

Baked Herb Breaded Chicken Strips (serves 6) served with a tossed green, tomato and basil salad with elderflower vinegar and olive oil

500 grams boneless chicken breasts cut into strips or chicken tenderloins
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon sage
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon marjoram
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon chives
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 shallow dish of milk, butter for baking

Chop herbs finely. Add flour and other ingredients except milk to medium size plastic bag and mix completely. Put enough butter into baking dish to cover base when melted, place dish in oven at 190ºC until butter has melted. Remove dish from oven. Dip chicken strips, two at a time, into milk then put into bag of goodies. Toss chicken strips in bag until well coated and arrange in single layer in baking dish. When all chicken strips have been breaded, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is golden. Add more butter to pan as needed. Place chicken on paper towels to drain before serving.

Variations - this breading recipe works just as well with thin cut pork strips. Corn meal may be added to give a different texture.

Potato Salad with Herbed Mayonnaise (serves 6)
1 kg new potatoes in skins
300 ml of shop bought or homemade mayonnaise
½ cup light sour cream
½ cup parsley, chopped fine
½ cup chives, chopped fine
1 tablespoon basil, chopped fine
black pepper

Boil potatoes in water (salted if desired) for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and place into a large bowl to cool slightly. Mix the parsley, chives, basil and black pepper into the mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir these into the potatoes while they are still warm. Leave to cool, then serve. (Can be made well in advance and thus is a useful buffet dish)

Anise Hyssop and Almond Butter Cookies (makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies)
Anise is a traditional flavouring for butter cookies; using anise hyssop blossoms in place of an extract results in a delicate whisper of flavour

1 cup sugar
¼ cup anise hyssop florets (flowers)
1 large egg or 2 small eggs
12 tablespoons butter, cut into 12 pieces
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour (unbleached if available)
90 grams almonds, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped

Combine sugar and anise hyssop flowers in a food processor and pulse until blended.

Add the egg and process for about 60 seconds. Add the butter and process for another 60 seconds. Add the flour and process for about 20 seconds, until most of the flour has been incorporated. Add the almonds and process until just mixed; do not overprocess.

Turn the dough only a lightly floured surface and gather it into a ball. Divide into three parts and roll each in plastic wrap into a cylinder 40 to 50 mm diameter. Chill for about 1 hour, until firm, or place in freezer for about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180º C. Slice the dough about 5 mm thick with a sharp knife. Place the rounds at least 10 mm apart on ungreased baking trays.

Bake for about 12 minutes, changing position of the baking trays halfway through baking, until he edges of the cookies are just golden. Remove from baking trays immediately to cool on racks. When cool, store in airtight containers.